


Ohana || Plus Ultra

by pastelbluebirds



Series: Unusual Crossovers [2]
Category: Lilo & Stitch (2002), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-05-13 07:41:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19246792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastelbluebirds/pseuds/pastelbluebirds
Summary: I found this cute story on Wattpad and I was inspired to write this. So let me explain: Basically, in the story, the reader is Stitch fromLilo & Stitchand they follow Izuku on his adventure to become a hero. There are no current updates that I know of though. I love crossovers, so I decided to write and dedicate this to the author of the original fanfic—PhenioxKennard. My story unfortunately won't be a reader-insert and I changed the background for Stitch, but I hope you still like it.





	1. Alright, Let's Start From The Top

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found this cute story on Wattpad and I was inspired to write this. So let me explain: Basically, in the story, the reader is Stitch from _Lilo & Stitch_ and they follow Izuku on his adventure to become a hero. There are no current updates that I know of though. I love crossovers, so I decided to write and dedicate this to the author of the original fanfic—[PhenioxKennard](https://www.wattpad.com/user/PhenioxKennard). My story unfortunately won't be a reader-insert and I changed the background for Stitch, but I hope you still like it.

When Izuku was four-years-old, he found out that he was Quirkless. His world had shattered upon hearing the news and he felt lost. His best friend, Kacchan, started to bully him and told him to give up his dream of being a hero in multiple different ways. Only people with Quirks could be heroes. That's what was drilled into his head and he believed it. But then one day... One faithful day...

"A pet?" Izuku repeated, his big green eyes full of curiosity and confusion. Izuku had just been picked up from school, as usual, when his mom told him that they were going to the animal shelter to pick out a pet. Just for him.

"Uh-huh." Inko nodded. "I know you're bummed out about not getting a Quirk, but maybe having a pet will take your mind off of it. For moral support."

"But you're my support." Izuku argued. He didn't really understand the point in adopting an animal.

"I know, baby, but look at the bright side. Now you'll have double the support!" Inko said cheerfully. "Every hero needs support." She added. Izuku smiled and thought about it. Double the support?

"Ok!" Izuku cheered, finally giving into the idea. Inko laughed and glanced at Izuku from the rear view mirror. Throughout the entire ride, Izuku babbled on and on about the type of pet he could have. Maybe a fluffy cat to cuddle with. Or maybe a silly dog to play with. It didn't take long before they arrived at their destination. Izuku was so excited. His mom laughed once again and helped her son out the car. Inko then picked up her little boy, gave his forehead a kiss, and made her way inside the faculty. 'Animal Rescue.' Izuku thought, reading the sign as they passed. Inside, the walls were covered in animal posters and there was a row of chairs sitting against the wall. There was also a huge desk and standing behind it was a young woman.

"Good afternoon!" The woman greeted happily, waving at the mother and child. Her nametag read Kishiko. "Are you here to adopt?" Kishiko asked hopefully. Usually people came to see the animals, but never actually adopted.

"Yes!" Izuku answered excitedly.

"Perfect!" Kishiko giggled. "We have all types of animals here in our shelter. Do you know which one you want?"

"A dog." Izuku replied off-the-bat. He figured a dog would provide the best support. Kishiko nodded and pointed to the door located around the corner.

"Why don't you go pick out your new pal while your mom fills out some paperwork?" Kishiko suggested. Izuku looked up at his mom, silently asking for permission. Inko nodded and bent down to put Izuku on his feet. "Just go right in. The dogs are the first animals you see as soon as you enter." Kishiko said. Izuku wrung his wrists, nervous.

"Go on." Inko coo'd, giving her son a small nudge in encouragement. Izuku took a deep breath and steeled himself before walking into the back. He expected it to be noisy. Barking and meowing and all that sort of stuff. But it was silent.

"H-hello?" Izuku called out. "Are there any animals in here?" It was still silent. But Izuku stayed determined and continued on. "Hello!" Suddenly he heard shuffling coming from behind him and spun around to see...something. It sorta looked like a blue koala. It had large rabbit-like ears with asymmetrical notches on the outer rims of each ear, a wide mouth, a round nose, oval-shaped black eyes, and a small stumpy tail. There were three tufts of fur on top of its head and on its chest with aqua countershading around its eyes, its lower lip, and extending down to the bottom of its abdomen. Izuku circled the creature and saw the tips of its ears were indigo and there were abstract markings on its back along with the back of its head. The creature turned around to face Izuku and tilted its head. "Hello." Izuku greeted softly. The creature then took him by surprise as it suddenly stood on its hind legs and smiled at him. Its sharp teeth proudly on display.

"H-hi." The creature greeted back, speaking in perfect Japanese. Its voice was raspy and masculine. Kinda high-pitched. A boy. The little creature once again took him by surprise by capturing him in an embrace. The hug was swift and almost desperate.

"Wow." Izuku had made up his mind. "You wanna be my new pet?" Izuku asked, breaking free from the hug. The creature wagged his stumpy tail and tilted his head.

"P-p-pet?"

"Yeah!" Izuku replied. "You'll come home with me and Mom. I'll take care of you and love you. We'll be the best of friends!" Izuku explained. "You'll be a part of my family."

"Fr-fri-friends? Fam-family?" The creature repeated. Izuku nodded. "L-lov-love me?" He asked quietly.

"If you come home with me then I promise to love you forever and ever." Izuku promised, extending his hand to the blue creature. The little thing churred softly and slowly put his paw in boy's palm. Izuku smiled and shook hands with the creature. He also took the time to give the creature a name. "Stitch." Izuku blurted out. The blue creature churred. He was confused. "I thought you would like a name. Is Stitch...ok?" Izuku asked. The creature churred once again before nodding.

"St-stit-stitch!" Izuku clapped his hands with glee. It was decided. Now all they had to do was make this adoption official. As if he had the same though, Stitch picked up Izuku and held the boy bridal style. Being the same height, it was rather easy. Stitch carried the boy back to the front desk, where Kishiko and Inko were having a conversation about the animals in the shelter. They didn't notice Stitch or Izuku. Not yet anyway.

"What else can you tell me about your animals?" Inko asked curiously.

"Besides having all their shots, all our animals are family friendly and adoptable." Kishiko told the woman, who sighed in relief. Upon realizing they weren't alone anymore, the two woman turned to Izuku. It took a second to realize that Stitch was there, which caused Kishiko to freak out. "Except that one!" Kishiko yelled, startling the child and his new companion. Inko was up in 2.5 seconds, taking her son into her arms and putting as much distance between them and Stitch. Kishiko proceeded to use her Quirk, shielding herself and the family behind a wall of water. Stitch hissed angrily, but instead of attacking, he sat in front of the wall and waited patiently. "Sweetie," Kishiko turned to Izuku. "I don't think you should adopt...him." Kishiko advised.

"What exactly is he?" Inko asked, staring at the blue creature with caution. Watching his every move and trying to determine if he was friendly or dangerous. From Kishiko's reaction, he seemed dangerous and she didn't want her son to be around him.

"We're not particularly sure." Kishiko admitted. "We thought he was a dog, but roadside assistance told us that he had been ran over by three trucks."

"And he's still alive?" Inko asked in disbelief. "How scary..."

"I like him." Izuku claimed. "And he can talk." He added. Inko didn't know if she should believe that, but apparently this mysterious thing had been hit by three trucks and lived. "Please Mom, can we keep him? I promise to love and take care of him forever and ever! I really really want him!" Izuku begged. Inko hummed and chewed on the inside of her cheek in thought. This creature was indestructible from the sounds of it, which was beneficial for both of them. And Izuku seemed attached anyway.

"I think we should adopt him." Inko said, finally making her decision. Kishiko sighed and reluctantly released her Quirk. Breaking free from his mother's hold, Izuku ran over to Stitch and captured him in an embrace. The two new friends laughed and cheered, happy that they could be together. Inko smiled to herself. As long as Izuku was happy then she was happy. Getting themselves situated, Inko signed the papers and Izuku paid. Stitch was officially theirs.

"One more thing." Kishiko said to the family before they departed. "Take this." She said, presenting the family with a squirt bottle. "We noticed during baths that he hated water. So we used that as a form of discipline. If he misbehaves, just give him a squirt." She said as she handed the bottle to Inko. It was full of water. Upon seeing it, Stitch hissed and bared his teeth. Izuku shushed him softly and ruffled his fur.

"No thank you." Izuku said, denying the offer with a firm shake of his head. This surprised the woman. "I'm sorry if I offended you, but we don't want it because we don't need it. Thank you though." Izuku said, flashing her a smile. "C'mon Stitch." Izuku said, taking his friend's paw and guiding him to the car.

"Izuku is right." Inko said, handing the squirt bottle back to Kishiko. "Thank you for your concern and the advise, but we don't need it. I'm sure Stitch will be just fine."

* * *

Ten years had passed since that faithful day. Izuku and Stitch were as close as family could be. Izuku taught Stitch all there was to know about Pro Heroes and Quirks. Stitch's Japanese improved. He even learned how to read, write, play string instruments, and took up two different languages: English and Hawaiian. His speech was still slurred and he still spoke in broken sentences, but he didn't stutter as much and he was getting better. Stitch was something unknown to Izuku. Izuku dedicated numerous of notebooks to the blue creature, which he frequently updated.

_Now that you're all catch up, let's get down the nitty gritty. Shall we?_

Izuku was once again late for school, having taken a detour to see the fight going on between Kamui Woods and some amateur villain with a gigantification Quirk. And then another new hero came on the scene calling herself Mt Lady. She took the capture and the credit, but Izuku wasn't surprised. When you're trying to make a name for yourself, you gotta be crafty. But back to the problem: Izuku was late.

"Why is my bag so heavy?" Izuku panted, deciding to take a break to catch his breath. His bookbag was heavier than usual and weighed him down. Taking off his bag and putting it on the ground, he opened the bigger compartment and peered inside. And there, napping peacefully in his bookbag, was Stitch. Izuku sighed fondly and smiled. He should've known. Stitch hated being away from Izuku for too long. Stitch loved Inko, but Izuku was the first kind person he had ever met and he grew very very very very attached. "I guess you can stay with me." Izuku said softly, closing up his bag and slinging it over his shoulders. He didn't want to jostle Stitch too much, but he was already late by forty-five minutes. So he continued to hoof it. Thoughts and theories swarmed his head as he pushed through the crowd of people. He was almost there, he could feel it. And then he couldn't. Izuku yelped as he was lifted into the air. Looking down, he saw Stitch was carrying him.

"'Cuse me!" Stitch called out. At the sight of him, people dove out the way and shuffled to the side. Parting like the red sea for the blue creature and young teenager. Izuku found himself grinning as he laughed at the surprised and scared expressions of everyone they zoomed pass.

"Go, Stitch, go!" Izuku cheered encouraging. Stitch laughed and ran faster, weaving through every passerby.

Later that afternoon  
Aldera Junior High

"So, as third-year students, it's time to start thinking seriously about your futures and what you want to do with your lives." The teacher said, waving around a stack of papers. "I _could_ pass out some career aptitude tests..." He suggested. Izuku peeked up from his hero notes. "But why bother?" The teacher carelessly threw the aptitude tests in air, laughing. "I _know_ you all want to go to the hero track!" He pointed out. And everyone in class started using their Quirks out of pure excitement and pride. Except for Izuku and _Kacchan_. "Yes, yes, you got some very impressive Quirks. But no power usage allowed in school. Get ahold of yourselves." He scolded halfheartedly.

"Hey, teach, don't lump me in with these bunch of losers. I'm the real deal, but these guys will be lucky to end up as sidekicks to some busted D-lister." Katsuki laughed. This caused the class to burst out in a fit of rage, angry that Katsuki thought he was better than them. The teacher then pointed out his impressive test score and said that he actually had a chance at UA. That rage turned into disbelief. UA had an acceptance rate of 2.5 and was almost impossible to get into. But, apparently, it was the only school worthy of Bakugou Katsuki. Izuku put his head back down and tuned out Katsuki, knowing exactly what was coming next. To be honest, Izuku was tired of Katsuki bragging all the time and it got old fairly quickly.

"Oh yeah, Midoriya, don't you want to go to UA too?" The teacher suddenly asked, calling out the green-haired boy. Izuku flinched. 'Why would he say that?' Izuku thought miserably. Katsuki froze and tensed up while the class began to laugh. Izuku wanted to cry.

"Midoriya, trying out for UA?"

"That Quirkless weirdo? What a joke!"

"Don't you think it's about time to grow up already?!"

"There's no way you can get into UA without a Quirk!"

"That's not true!" Izuku yelled in protest, jumping out of his chair. Realizing that he was yelling, he blushed and toned it down. "They got rid of that rule. I could be the first one." He stated meekly. Izuku glanced down and saw his bookbag jumping. Stitch. Izuku caught himself smiling and almost missed Katsuki coming at him full blast. The explosion knocked him back onto the floor, causing him to scrape his hands. But he was used to this treatment.

"Listen up, Deku." Katsuki growled, his hands smoking from the usage of his Quirk. "You're even worst than the rest of these rejects, you Quirkless wannabe loser. You really think they would let someone like you into UA when they could have me?!"

"No, wait, you got it all wrong! Really!" Izuku cried out, shuffling backwards until his back hit the wall. There was growling coming from his bag, which tipped over while the little creature inside tried to go help defuse the situation. Nobody but Izuku noticed. "I'm not trying to compete against you! You gotta believe me!" He tried to reason. But Katsuki just seemed to get more angry. "It's just that...I wanted to be a hero since I was little. I may not have a Quirk, but I can still try my hardest, can't I?"

"You'd never stand a chance against the best of the best! You'd die in the exams!" Katsuki roared, and their classmates cackled in agreement. "Defenseless Izuku." Katsuki taunted. Izuku pursed his lips and turned his gaze to the floor. "This school is already crappy. You really want to embarrass it more by failing so hard?"

"Now class, settle down." The teacher scolded. it almost sounded like he was defending Izuku, but Izuku knew that he was only defending his job. Before he could get another word in, the bell rung and signaled it was time for new period. Lunch. "Alright, get out of here." The teacher sighed. The students got out their last bit of laughter as they packed their things. Either walking with their friends or by themselves. Katsuki gave Izuku one last glare before he and his goons left. "Are you staying here again, Midoriya?"

"Yessir." Izuku answered meekly. He couldn't gather the courage to go and eat in the cafeteria. Not with Katsuki and his cronies there.

"Alright. But don't make a mess." The teacher said, gathering his bearings as he headed out. Izuku waited until the coast was clear before taking Stitch out of his bookbag. Happy to see that the boy was ok, Stitch licked Izuku on the cheek. Izuku laughed despite the slobber and gave Stitch an Eskimo kiss.

"Want to share my lunch with me?" Izuku asked, even though he didn't have to. Stitch clapped his paws and nodded feverishly, making Izuku laugh again. "Alright." Setting Stitch down in his lap, Izuku dug through his bag and took out two wrapped bento. He thought Stitch would hitch a ride, so he packed another one. "Which one should we eat first." Izuku asked as he unwrapped the bento. Stitch inspected and sniffed each bento before choosing. "This one?" Izuku asked, referring to the kyareben, the one that Stitch was pointing to.

"Yeah." Stitch replied, clapping his paws eagerly. Izuku nodded and handed his friend a bamboo fork because he knew that Stitch couldn't properly hold chopsticks. Japanese food never ceased to amaze Stitch. There was tamagoyaki, onigirazu, karaage, octopus-shaped sausages, and rabbit-shaped apple slices. Stitch picked up one of the apple slices and made it hop around, like an actual rabbit. The apples with green, which reminded him of Izuku and Inko. They were almost too cute to eat. But he gobbled it up anyway. Apples were his favorite.

"Try this." Izuku said, pointing to the omelet with his chopsticks. Stitch tilted his head and stabbed the omelet with his fork. He never had tamagoyaki before, especially for breakfast. He felt that grilled fish was safer. Looking up at Izuku, he grunted and pointed to the remaining tamagoyaki. Izuku understood. Stitch never ate food he wasn't familiar with unless someone else—namely Izuku or Inko—tried it first. Stitch watched intensely as Izuku chewed. And Izuku was just fine. Turning to the omelet still on his fork, he stuffed the omelet in his mouth. He was startled by the cheese, nori, and mayo. But it tasted really good. It was warm and it gave him comfort. Like his family.

* * *

Before long, school was over and it was time to go home. Izuku stayed behind and waited to everyone had exited the classroom, choosing to stroll through his phone about the fight from this morning to occupy him. He even showed Stitch some articles, making sure his friend stayed hidden the entire time.

"That fight from this morning is all over the news." Izuku said to himself as he tucked his phone in his pocket. "Better write down some more notes before I forget anything." He said, gazing at his notebook with pride. Notebook 13. But then the notebook was snatched out of his hand and he looked up to see Katsuki standing over him. Izuku quickly closed his bookbag—where Stitch was hiding—to protect his friend. Stitch and Katsuki never properly met, but Izuku talked about Stitch all the time when he and Katsuki used to hang out, which made Katsuki angry and annoyed. The last thing he wanted was for Stitch to get hurt.

"I don't know what you think you're doing, Deku, but we're not done." Katsuki said, ignoring the strange behavior from moments ago.

"Whatcha gotta there, Bakugou? His diary?" One of the goons asked. Katsuki held up the notebook. The two goons read the title and laughed. Izuku winced. "Don't tell me you're taking notes on how to be a hero. That's so pathetic!"

"He's delusional." The other goon commented.

"Yeah, real funny guys." Izuku said in false agreement. "Just give it back." He said to Katsuki. But Katsuki merely used his Quirk, as usual, and burned the notebook. And although it wasn't burned too badly, it still broke his poor heart. "That's so mean..." Izuku whimpered. But Katsuki wasn't done. Moving over to the opened window, Katsuki flung the notebook over his shoulder. Izuku spazzed out.

"Most first-ring heroes show potential early on. People look at them and just know they're destined for greatness." Katsuki spoke. "When I'm the only student from this garbage junior high to get into UA, people will start talking about me like that. They'll realize that I'm legit. The real deal. That's not ego talking, I just know I'm good." He babbled, showcasing a smug smile. Putting a hand on Izuku's shoulder, he leaned in real close and gave the green-haired boy an off-the-hinge smile. Smoke wafting through his fingers. "Here is a word of advice, nerd. Don't even think of applying or else."

"But I-" Katsuki set off an explosion in his ear, causing him to flinch as a painful ringing filled the air.

"But nothing." Katsuki hissed, roughly patting his cheek. Izuku wanted so badly to defend himself, but he was too afraid. So he clammed up. The cronies taunted him on their way out, saying that he finally learned his lesson and that this was for his own good. "If you really want to change your destiny then you should go and take a swan dive off the roof and hope you get a Quirk in your next life." Katsuki told him. Izuku let out an animalistic growl as he turned around to glare at Katsuki. Katsuki simply set off another explosion in response, thus frightening Izuku and shutting him up. And with that, Katsuki and his cronies proceeded to walk away. Leaving Izuku behind in the empty classroom.

"Bad." Izuku glanced down and saw Stitch sitting at his feet, holding onto his leg in a form of comfort.

"Yeah." Izuku agreed quietly, the corners of his lips twitching upwards just slightly. "Bad." Scooping up the little blue creature, Izuku gave his best friend an Eskimo kiss and nuzzled their foreheads close together. "Stupid Kacchan. He shouldn't go around telling people to kill themselves. What if I actually listened to him?" Izuku ranted aloud to himself. Stitch whimpered at the thought of Izuku taking his own life. "Hey now, don't worry. Kacchan and those stupidheads are wrong. I won't listen to them because I know my worth." Izuku said, reassuring him friend. "You're my one true friend."

"Ohana." Stitch said. Izuku remembered that word. Stitch said it so often that he understand what it meant. "Ohana means family."

"And family means no-one gets left behind or forgotten." Izuku added, holding his friend tighter. Letting out a shaky sigh as all his sadness slowly washed away. After collecting himself, Izuku and Stitch left in silence. Heading to the koi pond, where the koi were nibbling the notebook. Stitch stiffened at the sight of water. Izuku learned that Stitch had aquaphobia and hated being around any body of water. So Izuku helped Stitch back into his bookbag. He would have to deal with this situation on his own. It wouldn't take long anyway. "My dreams have turned into fish food." Izuku mumbled monotonously. "Enough already, give it back." Retrieving the notebook, he sighed and his shoulders shagged as he assessed the damages. His notebook was now brunt _and_ soggy. He would have to handle it with care until he got home or else it would fall apart. He could air dry it too on the way, maybe that would help.

"Zuku?" Stitch called out, snapping his friend out of his thoughts. Izuku peered over his shoulder and saw Stitch staring back at him. "We go home now?" Stitch asked, tilting his head. Izuku chuckled slightly and nodded, patting his friend on the head. Stitch smiled and Izuku smiled back.

"Yeah." Izuku replied. "We go home now."

 

 

 

_This was his life. And he was happier. He had an amazing mom who loved him deeply and supported his dream. He gain an incredible best friend who was there with him every step of the way. And he was graduating soon. He might not have a Quirk, but he would chose this life over any other._


	2. Champions?

"Stitch." Izuku called out to his friend. Stitch peeked out from his bookbag and churred in response. "You and me are gonna be heroes together, right?" He asked nervously. He had asked this question numerous times before, but he couldn't help it. He had to know. Ever since he could remember, it had been his dream to become a hero. And Stitch admitted that it had been his dream too. So they promised each other that they would become heroes together and become the best duo in all of Japan.

"Heck yeah." Stitch answered confidentially. Izuku smiled and nodded, glancing down at the half-soggy-half-charred notebook in his hand. Waving the notebook around like a captured flag, Izuku began to laugh like his favorite hero All Might and Stitch even joined in. Their laughter bounced off the walls of the tunnel and echoed around them. But then their laughter and joy was cut short when they heard something creep up behind them. Spinning around, Izuku stumbled back in fear and surprise. A villain. The villain laughed and struck before the teen could even scream, taking the boy captive and shoving himself down the boy's throat. Without thinking, Izuku tossed his bag aside to save Stitch from the same fate. "Zuku!" Stitch cried out as he tumbled out the bag. Izuku tried to tell him stay back, but he was struggling to breathe.

"Don't worry, kid, this will only take a minute. You'll feel better soon." Izuku tried to pull and claw his way out the goop, but it wasn't working. "Grab all you want, but my body is fluid. And thanks for the help. You're a _real hero_ to me." Tears rapidly slid down his cheeks as his grasp on reality continued to fade. He was in pain. His eyes darted around the tunnel, but saw no hero and nothing to defend himself with. Nothing and nobody... Not even Stitch. 'Is Stitch hurt? Where did Stitch go? Is Stitch getting help?' Izuku thought anxiously as his eyes frantically darted around the tunnel, searching for his dear friend. More panic thoughts flowed through his brain, but they stopped almost instantly when he felt a sudden warmth push against his chest. Glancing down, he saw it was Stitch. With his last bit of strength, Izuku hugged him close and prayed for it to be over. As the sludge villain wrapped around him, encasing them both with his liquid body, Izuku swore he heard something. A hero. It went dark for a moment before the lights came back. He was falling. He was free. Opening his eyes, he saw someone standing at the end of the tunnel. A man. 'Is that All Might.' And then it was black again. As Izuku passed out, All Might quickly captured the villain in two empty soda bottles. Stitch groaned as he shook himself awake. It took him a minute, but he pushed through and regained consciousness. When he looked down, he gasped upon seeing Izuku passed out.

"Zuku!" All Might turned to the source of the voice and saw the little blue creature, laying on top of an unconscious boy. All Might almost mistook him for another strange villain, but something told him to stop. So he did. Silently watching from the sidelines with confusion and slight curiosity. Stitch whined and whimpered, nuzzling his head under Izuku's chin as tears prickled the corner of his eyes. "Wake up." Stitch begged. "Wake up." All Might felt his heart break. 'That boy must be his friend.' All Might thought. 'Was I too late?' He asked himself. He wondered if the boy—who he assumed was Zuku—was dead. He wondered what he should say or if he should say anything at all. He was intruding. But he couldn't leave. And yet he was steadily running out of time. All Might was conflicted. For the first time in his hero career...he had absolutely no idea what to do. However, before he could stop himself, he found himself asking:

"Is that your friend?"

"...Yes." Stitch answered softly. All Might hummed to himself and slowly inched closer towards them, not wanting to startle the little guy. His signature smile had long turned into a worried frown as he stared at the poor little guy. He hoped the boy was still alive.

"Is there anything I can do?" All Might asked hopefully. Stitch shrugged halfheartedly and clutched onto the school uniform for dear life. "Lets get you two out of here." All Might suggested. He took the time to pick up the discarded school supplies and tucked them back in the bookbag. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, All Might picked up the boys and balanced them carefully. Holding the teenager in one arm and Stitch in the other. As he exited the tunnel, he noticed that Stitch was looking through a notebook. The notebook was wet and burned, but Stitch handled it with such care as he flipped through the pages. And then he stopped on one of the pages to display an impressive costume design. It was so well drawn and All Might could tell it took a lot of thought to make. "What is that?" All Might asked curiously, gesturing to the notebook with a nod.

"Hero suit." Stitch replied, his paw brushing over the costume design. Like he was scared he was going to destroy it. "For Zuku." He added. All Might hummed to himself in thought. Once they were of safe distance from the tunnel, he gently set the boys on the ground. He then took the notebook from Stitch's paws and quickly signed it before giving it back. Turning to the unconscious boy, he began to rapidly pat the boy on the cheek. All Might hoped the teenager was still alive. Stitch watched. It took some time, but Izuku started to wake up. The first thing he saw was Stitch. Izuku sighed in relief and his eyes fluttered close as Stitch leapt into his arms.

"Hey buddy." Izuku greeted softly, his voice scratchy from the previous attack.

"Stupidhead." Stitch mumbled, insulting the boy. Izuku hummed in what seemed like agreement. He deserved it.

"We almost lost you there." Izuku froze. That voice. Realizing someone else was with them, he opened his eyes once again to see All Might standing over him. "Hey there." All Might greeted casually. Izuku screeched and speedily shuffled backwards. "Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." All Might apologized, chuckling in amusement and relief. Izuku felt himself spiral, his brain beginning to malfunction. All Might was standing in front him. All Might saved him. "Anyway! You were of big help! Thank you!" All Might then presented two soda bottles, which contained the captured villain. "I have captured the evildoer!"

"I can't believe you're actually here. Wait! I gotta get your autograph! I know I have a pen and paper somewhere where." Stitch churred and flipped opened the book, showing the autograph laying between two pages. Izuku screeched once again and bowed several times in respect, saying how much he'll treasure it and other crazy things like that. All Might chuckled and gave him a thumbs up as he tucked the bottles away in his pockets.

"Well then, I must be going." All Might said, catching the boy off guard. "I gotta take this guy to the police, so they can deal with him." All Might explained, motioning to the unconscious villain. "You two stay out of trouble now."

"Hold on, you really are leaving?" Izuku asked, disheartened by the sudden news.

"Of course. True heroes are not only constantly battling against villains, but battling against time as well." All Might told him. Izuku frowned. He had so much more to say. He had so many questions to ask. If All Might left then how would he know? "Now stand back. I'm taking off." All Might warned. Izuku bit his lip and thought deeply about his next move. Just as All Might launched in the air, Izuku grabbed onto the hero by his pants leg. All Might looked down and saw Izuku hanging onto him. "What do you think you're doing?!" The hero asked, shocked that the boy would make such a risky and stupid move. Upon feeling weight on his shoulder, he looked to his right and saw Stitch. "Not you too!" Stitch merely giggled and waved. All Might groaned. This was utter madness. "I love my fans, but this is too much!"

"So-sor-sorry!" Izuku apologized. "And please don't let me fall! If I do then I'll die!" He reminded the hero. They were so high up. And he had lots to live for.

"R-right." All Might mumbled, almost embarrassed.

"I have so much to ask you. All I need is a minute of your time!" Izuku begged pathetically.

"Alright, alright." All Might sighed in defeat. The boy almost died and—even though All Might would never admit it—he was so adorable with his pathetic puppy expression. All Might couldn't say no. It was too late anyway. "Just keep your eyes and your mouth closed." He advised. Izuku whimpered and buried his face in the fabric. All Might sighed once again and rested his hand on the boy's head. Stitch churred softly at the display of paternal affection. Or at least that's what it looked like to him. But then he perked up upon hearing the man cough. The smell of iron was in the air. Not strong and barely noticeable. But it was only noticeable to Stitch, who had a keen sense of smell.

"Blood." Stitch whispered, confused and concerned. All Might shook his head slightly, denying the claim. But Stitch wasn't stupid. "Sick?" Stitch asked quietly.

"Don't tell." All Might murmured, almost pleading. Stitch churred and nuzzled against the hero, silently promising to keep his word. All Might was shocked by the display of affection, but he tried not to think too much about it. The key word being _**tried**_. The trio ended up landing halfway across the city, on the rooftop of some random building. Izuku wheezed and claimed his life flashed before his very eyes. All Might scolded him. "Go bang on the door a couple of times. Someone will come and get you."

"Please wait..." Izuku begged.

"I don't have time." All Might said hurriedly. Stitch growled and scurried in front of All Might. Deciding he had enough of the shenanigans, Stitch unleashed his true form. His four arms were spread out at his side, his antennas were perked up, and the three spines of his back stuck up in warning. His claws were also sharp and ready to go. He didn't want to hurt All Might, but he was tired of people pushing around his friend. This was important to Izuku.

"Make time." Stitch demanded, stomping his foot. All Might stared at the blue creature in shock. Stitch was bold. It was impressive and refreshing to see someone stand up to him like that. "Listen." Stitch requested, less demanding this time, gesturing to his friend. All Might sighed and nodded in agreement.

"Your time to shine, kid." All Might said. "What did you need to ask me?"

"Can I ever become a hero without a Quirk?" Izuku asked almost immediately, clenching his eyes shut. He didn't want to cry. "I'm just a plain boy without any powers. Can I ever hope to be like you?!" It was silent. Painfully silent. It hurt so much. Izuku just needed an answer. A sign pointing him in the right direction. Unfortunately for All Might, his time was up. Stitch stumbled back and watched as the man started steaming. He was...deflating. Stitch tried to signal something to Izuku, but the teenager was in his own little world. Babbling on about his life and hardships. He really didn't mean to, but venting felt good. But Stitch couldn't worry about that right now. Stitch tried to ask the man what was wrong, but All Might couldn't really answer. He was in pain.

"I get help?" Stitch asked quietly, scared and confused. He didn't know what to do or if he should do anything.

"Thank you, little one, but no thanks." All Might said through gritted teeth, refusing the offer. Stitch continued to watch helplessly as the man deflated until he was...skeletal. Izuku finally stopped rambling and noticed that All Might wasn't quite alright. All Might wasn't exactly All Might.

"Who are you?!" Izuku screeched, confused and startled. "Where did All Might go? Are you some sort of imposter? How did you get here? Where did you come from?" More questions continued to fly from his mouth without him really meaning to. Izuku was firing off about a million questions a mile a minute. He was rambling again. All Might sighed and scrubbed his face. He had _a lot_ of explaining to do.

"Kid." All Might spoke, and Izuku almost immediately shut up. "Listen closely and don't interrupt."

* * *

_"Sorry kid, but you have to be realistic."_ Why did everyone insist on telling him that? Izuku whimpered pitifuly and hurriedly wiped away his tears. _"Nobody can become a hero without a Quirk."_ He already knew that. He didn't need every single person to remind him on his petty existent. Katsuki did that already and he was sick of it. He didn't need everyone on the planet to look down on him like he was an ant. And now it wasn't just Katsuki looking down on him. It was All Might too. 'Is this reality? Is that why this hurt so much?' Izuku thought, choking back sobs. Stitch frowned and climbed out of the bookbag, plopping himself on top of Izuku's shoulder. Izuku took Stitch into his arms and held him like a precious teddy bear.

"Don't listen." Stitch advised. "We gonna be bestest heroes ever. Together."

"Heck yeah." Izuku choked out, and the little creature hummed. Content and happy. But then he became tense. His ears shot up and his fur bristled. 'Something is wrong.' Izuku thought, taking notice. "What's the matter?" Izuku asked in concern. Stitch sniffed the air around him before he pointed forwards.

"Fire." Breaking into a sprint, Izuku let Stitch direct him until they both arrived at the scene of the fire. There was a crowd, but Izuku still managed to push his way to the front. Izuku gasped at the sight in front of him. It was the same slime villain from earlier. He must have broke free from his prison when Izuku hitched a ride from All Might. And now someone else was captured. "Kaboom." Stitch whispered, pointing to the victim. "Bad." Stitch added. Izuku knew what he meant. The victim was Katsuki. He wondered how long Katsuki had been trapped. He almost died after a couple of second. That meant Katsuki was really strong. But even so, the blonde was in still trouble. Now more than ever.

"GET OFF OF ME!" Katsuki exclaimed, setting off his Quirk in a fit of panic and rage. It didn't work against the slime villain, but it did caused one of the buildings surrounding them to shake. It was crumbling! Stitch gasped as he saw more victims in the crossfire and broke out of Izuku's hold to help save them without a second thought. His body just seemed to move on its own...

"Stitch!" Izuku yelled, trying to run after him, but the officer that was controlling the crowd had blocked the way. "Come back!"

"Stay back, son!" He told Izuku.

"But that's my friend." Izuku said, trying to reason with the man. But the officer merely shook his head and kept the teenager at bay.

"I understand, but you have to stay back." The officer said. Izuku watched as Stitch picked up the two victims effortlessly—using his true form—and skillfully crawl along the walls to get them out of the fire, where Kamui Wood took them to a nearby rooftop. Kamui Wood blinked at Stitch, who blinked back before returning to the battlefield to search for more victims. He would stop the little guy, but he was made of wood. Everyone knew that wood and fire did _not_ mix. He was actually thankful that Stitch was there because he could only get so many people out before the fire actually harmed him. Izuku was relieved that Stitch was ok, seeing as he was fireproof, but it still gave him quite the scare.

"...why.....someone just....damnit...the kid might actually die if the heroes don't do something!" Izuku felt his breath hitch. No. That couldn't be right. He couldn't let that happened. But what could he do? He watched helplessly as Death Arms and his sidekicks were tossed aside, causing the building to shake. The crowd screamed and stepped back, fearing that the building would start crumbling down in seconds.

"The last victims are out! Someone capture that villain!" Kamui Wood yelled. Stitch growled at the villain, being that last one currently standing. He dodged the slime and spat at the villain, blinding the evildoer. The crowd cheered. Stitch ran over to Katsuki and began to claw the slime away. But he didn't see the sneak attack until it was too late. Stitch cried out as he was slammed against the floor. Over and over and over and over and over... It was almost endless. Finally he was tossed across the makeshift battlefield, tumbling back across the line, where he laid at Izuku's feet.

"Stitch!" Izuku scooped up his friend and cradled him close. "Please wake up." He pleaded. But Stitch didn't respond. The crowd murmured.

"Is that the best you got?" The villain cackled. All hope seemed to be lost. But then Stitch started groaning. He was waking up. He rolled around in Izuku's arms before sitting up to face the villain with narrowed eyes. "You're a tough one."

"Stitch..?" Izuku inquired, shocked but relieved. His friend was ok and ready to fight. "Are you alright?"

"Headache." Stitch said dismissively, shaking it off. Stitch readied himself, about to pounce, when the officer from moments ago held up his hand.

"I can't let you go back in." The officer said. The crowd cried out in outrage, yelling at the man to let Stitch through. But the man refused. Izuku and Stitch watched on the sidelines as the heroes once again tried to detain the villain. Izuku couldn't believe that Katsuki had survived this long. But he was slipping. And he could tell the moment their eyes connected... Izuku bolted and ran into the fray. "Not again!" The officer was dumbfounded and embarrassed. How could one boy get pass him so easily? It was mysterious, especially to Izuku. He had no idea what he was doing, but he didn't regret a thing. 'What would a hero do?' Izuku asked himself. He thought back to his notebooks and Notebook 13 came to mind. Page 25.

"We got you now!" Izuku shouted, flinging Stitch at the villain. Stitch whooped and hollered with pure excitement, latching onto the villain's ugly mug. Curling his paws into fists, he punched the villain in the eyes. The villain cried out in pain and loosened his grasp on his victim, giving Katsuki enough time to breathe. "Kacchan!" Izuku began to rapidly claw away the goop while Stitch kept the enemy distracted.

"What the hell? What are you and that _thing_ doing here?" Katsuki asked, staring at Izuku in shock and anger.

"I don't know! My legs just kinda moved on their own!" Izuku admitted. "You looked like your eyes were calling out for help." He said, trying his best to explain what exactly he was doing. But he himself still had no idea what was going on. Not entirely. "I couldn't watch you die."

"Zuku, watch out!" Stitch warned as the villain attacked blindly. Izuku was too slow. "Zuku!" Izuku snapped his eyes shut and put his arms up in an attempt to protect himself. He waited for the attack to come, but it never did...

"I really am pathetic." Izuku quickly opened his eyes, his heading shooting up at the sound of that all-too-familiar voice. All Might. All Might was protecting him. "I told you what makes someone a champion, but I wasn't living up to my own ideals!" Izuku gasped breathlessly as he was gently pushed out of the way. Stitch knew what was about to happen and jumped into Izuku's arms. Luckily the villain was still distorted, giving everyone enough time to breathe and prepare themselves for what was about to happen next. "Heroes risk their lives everyday for the greater good! That is what makes them heroes!" All Might pulled his fist back, blood flowing from his lips with every word.

"Duck." Stitch murmured. Izuku simply stared at his friend, dumbfounded. "Duck now!" Stitch commanded, desperately tugging on the boy's blazer. Izuku finally understood and got into a crouching position, shielding himself and Stitch as best as he could. He could've ran away. But it would be useless... Best to protect them before one of them got seriously hurt.

"DETRIOT SMASH!" Being so close to the blast had caused Izuku and Stitch to pass out. The fight wore them out too. Katsuki had long before passed out from exhaustion, but he too was safe. The clouds parted and it had begun to rain seconds after the freak tornado All Might had caused. All Might stared down at Izuku and Stitch, noting how the boy curled around the little creature. Protecting him. All Might smiled to himself. Those two...


	3. Almost

Despite saving numerous of people along with Katsuki, Stitch and Izuku ended up getting scolded anyway. Katsuki got praised for being brave and for having a strong Quirk. Katsuki also yelled at them and insulted them for saving him. But, for once in his life, Izuku actually didn't care. They did some good today and that was all that mattered.

"You were so cool out there!" Izuku praised. Stitch giggled sheepishly and shook his head in denial. "I'm serious." Izuku said, chuckling. "The way you saved those people from the fire and how you stood your ground against that creep. It was amazing!"

"I agree!" Izuku jolted and almost went into another spazz attack, not expected All Might to appear from around the corner. "It is I!" All Might announced, flexing like the strong hero he was. Seconds later though, blood spewed out his mouth and he deflated. He coughed and hacked violently, but managed to collect himself. Izuku and Stitch freaked out at the sight of blood, looking ready to faint or scream. Maybe both. "I'm alright." All Might said dismissively, wiping away the blood from his lips. "And call me Yagi Toshinori." Toshinori mentioned, introducing himself somewhat. Izuku and Stitch tilted their head, wondering why he wanted them to use his real name. "We wouldn't want other people to know my little secret." Toshinori reminded them. Izuku and Stitch giggled sheepishly. Toshinori hummed and made note of their behavior.

"Sorry." Izuku apologized on their behalf, but Toshinori simply waved his hand dismissively. This was new to them, so he understood. "Hey, aren't you still supposed to be interviewed by those reporters back there?" Izuku asked curiously.

"Ah, I managed to slip away." Toshinori told them. "But that isn't important." He added. "I actually came to thank you two." He said, startling the boys. "Young Midoriya and Stitch, if you hadn't jumped in when you did then things could've turned ugly. You bought me time. And for that, I was able to do what needed to be done. So thank you."

"But it was my fault." Izuku protested, taking all the blame. "I screwed up all your hard work and the villain ended up getting away."

"Everyone makes mistakes. We can only accept them and move on." Toshinori told him. His words were wise and reassuring. Understanding. As if he was speaking from experience. "I also came to discuss your question from earlier." Toshinori added. Izuku pursed his lips in an effort to keep the tears at bay.

"You don't have to. You already gave me your answer-"

"And I was wrong." Toshinori interrupted. Izuku sucked in a sharp breath. Stitch churred softly and his ears shot up, listening attentively. "Today I saw a Quirkless boy and a strange blue creature run into a fire to save people. It inspired me to act." Izuku listened with awe. All Might, his favorite hero of all time, was praising him. "There are stories of every hero. Each one different from the last. But one thing remains the same: they claimed their bodies moved on its own. That's what I saw. I saw you and your friend run in without hesitation." Toshinori said. "Yes, in that moment, you broke the law." Izuku and Stitch averted their gaze. "But I'm glad you did." Toshinori added, catching them by surprise. "You two are pure of heart." He complimented. "So yes, you can become heroes!" He finally said. "And Young Midoriya, I believe that you are worthy enough to inherit my Quirk!"

Early the next morning  
The Dagobah Municipal Beach Park

Yesterday was hectic. Hectic than usual too. Not everyday did someone meet their hero and then get told they were worthy enough for a Quirk. A Quirk, which was known as One For All, that had beenpassed down for generations. Like the Olympic Torch. Or at least, that's what Toshinori had said. Izuku had thousands of questions and theories revolving around this one Quirk. Like who was the first holder and why did it need to be passed, to name a few. But right now, he needed to focus on pulling this tall 50-pound dresser.

"You can do it!" Stitch cheered, dressed in a cute green and black cheerleading outfit that Inko made for him. He didn't tell her why he needed it, but she was happy to make it anyway. "Go, Zuku, go!"

"Your friend is quite supportive!" All Might laughed, watching from the sidelines as Stitch waved around his pompoms and bounced about. He was having too much fun. Izuku glanced at Stitch from the corner of his eye and gave a tiny smile. 'Yeah.' Izuku agreed. 'Very supportive.' He thought. "C'mon, Young Midoriya! Focus!" All Might called out, snapping Izuku out of his daze.

"Ri-right!" Quickly focusing back on the task at hand, Izuku continued to whimper and grunt as he tried his hardest to move the dresser. Even an inch will do. It was his job to not only train his body, but to restore the beach back to its former glory. All Might even gave him a regime and if he followed it exactly then the beach would be clear of the trash.

"You can do it, you can do it!" Stitch chanted. "Go, go, go!" He sung as he performed. It was at that moment that Izuku felt something spark within him. A flame that ignited and burned, creating a roaring fire. Izuku continued to push with all his might, refusing to give up. His determination finally paid off too. Izuku yelped as he stumbled forward slightly. Glancing down, he saw a patch of disturbed sand. It was small, about five inches wide, but it was something.

"Hey!" Izuku called out. "I think I'm getting somewhere." He told his mentor, grinning from ear to ear.

"Cheer harder, little one." All Might said to Stitch. "I think Young Midoriya is finally getting into the spirit of things." He encouraged. Stitch laughed and nodded in understanding, readying his pompoms.

 

_And so it had begun. Izuku trained for the entrance exams, following the regime religiously and then some. Stitch trained too and helped Izuku along the way. While he wasn't allowed to help Izuku clean up the beach, he made sure the boy was adjusting well to the diet and pushed the teenager pass his limits. Workouts were intense. And there were days that Izuku got sick. But Stitch took care of him and Toshinori made sure he never gave up._

 

It was just another day. Izuku was hauling a microwave and Stitch was on his back while Toshinori rode ahead on a segway. Izuku huffed and puffed, his vision getting blurry. Stitch raised an eyebrow and jumped down, standing in front of his friend and blocking Izuku's path. Izuku tried to protest, but he was too weak. And then his world tilted. Izuku crashed out of exhaustion and soreness, his muscles screaming at him.

"Zuku!" Stitch cried out, scrambling to aid his friend. He pressed his paw against the boy's forehead before quickly snatching it back with an inaudible hiss. Izuku was burning up. Probably running another fever. "Zuku." Stitch whined. Izuku winched out of guilt.

"You haven't been following the regime, have you?" Toshinori asked, even though he really didn't need to. He already knew the answer. He expected this. Izuku clawed at the ground and tried to find his footing, attempting to get off the ground. But he couldn't. "That regime was specifically made for your body and mind. If you haven't been following my instructions then this will have negative effects." Toshinori lectured. Izuku frowned and dug the soles of his shoes into the dirt, practically digging holes in the ground in an effort to get up. "You have to stop n-"

"You don't understand." Izuku interrupted as he continued to push himself pass his own limit. Straining himself. He had to get back up. He had to. "I need to work harder or I won't stand a chance against the other applicants. I don't just want to get into UA. I want to excel." He explained. Tears prickled the corners of his eyes, but he refused to cry. He had to be strong. He had to be independent. He had to show Toshinori that he was worthy of One For All. This wasn't desperation for a Quirk or the need to be acknowledged. It was bigger than that. Much bigger than that. He wanted to show Toshinori that he could do it. He wanted to show everyone that doubted him that he could do it. He want to make his Mom, Stitch, and even Katsuki proud. And to do that then he had to get up. "I want to be just like you!" Izuku shouted, clenching his eyes shut as his body gave up on him. There he laid on the dirt path, sweaty and exhausted. But he wasn't giving up...

"Kid." Toshinori sighed. "I want you to be better than me." Toshinori said softly. Once again he sounded like he was speaking from experience, which made those words hit harder than ever before. To think that someone you admired for years had been in the same shoes as you. 'The same shoes as me?' Izuku thought. Without warning, Toshinori picked up the teenager and put the boy on his back. Izuku rested his sweaty forehead on the man's shoulder and closed his eyes with a heavy exhale. Resting.

* * *

Ten months had came along sooner than anyone realized. The Entrance Exams were here. Izuku and Stitch knew that they would pass the written part without a hitch. And they weren't bragging either. The physical part was what they needed to worry about. Well...that wasn't completely true. The only one who had to worry about the Practical Exam was Izuku. But Izuku remained confident in himself and Stitch had faith. As the day of the exams arrived, Izuku jogged to the beach in his workout gear with Stitch resting on his shoulders. The little blue creature quizzed the teenager, barely letting Izuku catch his breath as the questions came coming like rapid fire. As they arrived on the beach, Izuku went right to work. Clearing the rest of the trash while he was being quizzed almost relentlessly. It wasn't long before Toshinori drove up to the beach and was greeted by hollering. And there, proudly standing on the trash heap, was Izuku. Screaming at the sun as it rose over the horizon. Stitch was on the newly cleared beach, dancing around on the warm sand in his cheerleading costume. Izuku wailed while Stitch cheered. It was quite the sight. Humorous and almost heartwarming.

"Holy mother of crap!" Toshinori cried out as he transformed into his All Might form. Izuku soon fell silent and wobbled forward. Tired. But luckily All Might caught him.

"I did It." Izuku said to All Might, voice raspy from shouting at the top of his lungs. "I did it."

"Indeed you did, Young Midoriya." All Might said in agreement, setting the boy on his feet. Izuku steadied himself and gave All Might an exhausted smile. Stitch stared at the boy and his mentor with a proud smile. Izuku finally did it. 'Without me.' Stitch thought. Throughout his training, Izuku had asked for very little help and Stitch granted his wish. The teenager wanted to prove himself and he had done it. 'Proud of you.' Stitch thought, reminding himself to tell Izuku vocally once this was over. "You are halfway there, my boy." All Might promised. "And look at you now! Your body is ready to handle my Quirk!" He stated. And he was right. Izuku was stronger now. Firm. Sturdier. Plucking a single strand from his head, All Might smiled down at the boy. "EAT THIS!" Izuku was dumbfounded. Come again? Stitch shoved his pompoms in his face, trying desperately to mask his laughter upon seeing the horrified look on Izuku's poor face.

"Huh?" Izuku asked stupidly, still not quite understanding what was happening.

"One For All can only be transferred through DNA." All Might explained, sounding embarrassed. Stitch noted that he was once again speaking from experience.

"This isn't how I imagined this scenario going down." Izuku admitted. "Does it really have to-"

"That isn't important right now." All Might interrupted, waving his hands around frantically. "The exams start in a few hours and we're wasting valuable time just standing around." He squabbled. "Now eat! Eat! Eat! EAT!" He ordered. Izuku screamed hysterically and flailed around in a cartoonish manner, but he still managed to shove the strand of hair down his throat. Stitch stuck his tongue out in disgust. "How do you feel?" All Might asked.

"Sick." Izuku groaned, his face turning different shades of green. "Other than that though I feel pretty normal."

"Well you have to digest." All Might stated. "Watch. You'll feel the power coursing through you in a matter of hours."

Later that afternoon  
UA High **[The Practical Exam]**

"WELCOME APPLICANTS!"

"It's the radio host and Voice Hero: Present Mic!" Izuku announced to himself and Stitch, remembering to speak in a hushed tone as to not disrupt the ceremony. Stitch clapped his hands and cheered, not caring if he was making too much noise. Stitch loved listening to _Put Your Hands Up Radio_ ever since Inko gave him this cute antique radio for his birthday. Stitch just adored vintage things. He learned that _Put Your Hands Up Radio_ played every Friday, nonstop, starting from 1AM and ending at 5AM. If he and Izuku were still awake then they would listen until they either fell asleep or until it ended. Seeing his favorite radio host and Pro Hero was a dream come true. Now he knew how Izuku felt when the teenager got to meet All Might.

"C'MON AND LET ME HEAR YA'!" Stitch and Izuku cheered, not caring if they were the only ones making noise. Present Mic deserved it. "I AM LOVING YOUR ENERGY!" Present Mic shouted, appreciating the good vibes. "LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED! ARE YOU READY?!" Once again, Stitch and Izuku cheered. Much louder this time too. "MAN, YOU TWO ARE SOMETHING ELSE!" Present Mic chuckled. Nobody ever responded before. "LIKE YOUR APPLICANTION SAID, YOU WILL BE OUT THERE CONDUCTING TWO MOCK TESTS IN URBAN SETTINGS. AFTER I DROP THE MIC, YOU WILL BE HEADING TO YOUR SPECIFIED BATTLE CENTER. OK?!" For the third time, Stitch and Izuku made some noise. Shouting back in understanding. Looking down at their cards, the two best friends gasped.

**Examinee No. 2234: Midoriya Izuku**  
**Test Location: Battle Center B**

 

**Examinee No. 2235: Stitch**  
**Test Location: Battle Center C**

"I see what they're doing." Katsuki spoke up, startling Izuku. "They're splitting us up so we can't work with our friends."

"You're right." Izuku said, confirming the claim as he took a peek at Katsuki's card. "Our examinee numbers are one right after the other, but we're assigned to different battle centers."

"Get your eyes off my card." Katsuki growled. Izuku winced and quickly averted his gaze. Stitch growled at the blonde, his ears folding back. He looked ready to pounce, but Izuku held him tight. He didn't want to get kicked out. "Damn. I was really looking forward to crushing."

"OK, OK." Present Mic grabbed everyone's attention once again. "THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF VILLAINS WITHIN EVERY BATTLE CENTER AND YOU WILL GAIN POINTS BASED OFF THEIR LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY. YOUR GOAL IS TO SHRED AS MANY MOCK VILLIANS AND RAISE YOUR SCORE! BUT KEEP IT HEROIC. ATTACKING OTHER APPLICANTS IS A UA NO-NO, YA' DIG?"

"Goddamnit." Katsuki swore. Stitch wondered if Katsuki would be petty enough to disobey the rules. After all, the blonde wasn't really one to show restraint. It would be a miracle if he did though. Speaking of the trial, the explanation made Stitch rather curious.

"Game?" Stitch asked Izuku, speaking in a low whisper. Izuku hummed before shrugging in response. It did sound like a game. "Fun?" Stitch asked excitedly. He was almost ashamed to admit it, but he enjoyed causing destruction and dismantling objects. Usually to see how it worked or just for sport, but never to hurt people. Especially innocent people. 'Not anymore.' Stitch assured himself.

"Fun for you maybe." Izuku whispered back, booping his friend's nose. Stitch snorted softly and giggled, covering his cheeks with his paws almost bashfully.

"Excuse me! I have a question!" One of the examinees said, raising their hand and standing up. A male.

"HIT ME!" Present Mic said. A spotlight shined down on the examinee.

"On the printout, there are four mock villains. Not three. If this is an error then it is shameful. We expect more from Japan's number one school." The examinee scolded, speaking rather harshly. Stitch frowned. He did _not_ appreciate this guy's nasty attitude. "And you." Izuku jolted as a spotlight shined down on him and Stitch. "Did you seriously bring an animal into the exams?" The examinee questioned accusingly, pointing at Stitch. "Not only that but you and your 'friend' have been disruptive this entire time. If you can't take this seriously then you should just leave." He said to Izuku. Izuku put his head down in shame as the other applicants snickered. Stitch growled and blew the mean examinee a wet raspberry. The blue-haired guy gasped as slobber coated his glasses. "How dare you?!" He squawked, hurriedly rubbing the spit from his lenses with disgust.

"Stupidhead!" Stitch yelled, insulting the blue-haired teenager.

"NOW, NOW, SETTLE DOWN." Present Mic said rather nervously. The spotlights went out. "THE FOURTH VILLAIN IS WORTH ZERO POINTS AND THE TOUGHEST ENEMY. IT IS AN OBSTACLE THAT WE JUST HAPPEN TO THROW OUT THERE!" Present Mic explained. "THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR RIGHT NOW, BUT I'LL SIGN OFF WITH OUR MOTO! THE GREAT HERO NAPOLEON BANAPARTE ONCE SAID 'TRUE HEROISM CONSISTS IN BEING SUPERIOR TO THE ILLS OF LIFE.' PLUS ULTRA! BREAK A LEG, EVERYONE!" And with that, everyone packed their things and exited the faculty. The applicants were given time to change before they were ushered to their assigned Battle Centers. Izuku and Stitch hugged, gave each other words of encouragement, and went their separate ways. When Stitch arrived at his Battle Center, he noticed people giving him weird looks and were speaking in hushed whispers. 'About me.' Stitch thought. But he wasn't going to let them and their negativity get him down. He was here to become a hero with Izuku.

"Hey there!" Stitch spun and immediately saw pink. The girl standing in front of him had bubblegum pink skin and matching hair. Her eyes reminded him of a raccoon, which was pretty cool. "Oh, you just look so adorable!" The girl squealed. Stitch smiled at the girl and she smiled back. "My name is Ashido Mina and my Quirk is called Acid." Mina said, introducing herself. Stitch could tell that she was so excited to be here and even more excited to make new friends.

"My name Stitch." Stitch said, introducing himself.

"What a cute name." Mina giggled. "You're applying to be a hero too?" She asked curiously, and he nodded. There was determination in his eyes.

"Me and Zuku gonna be heroes together." Stitch said. Mina wondered who Zuku was. Maybe she would meet him later.

"GO!" Before Mina and the other applicants realized it, the test had started and Stitch had bolted the first chance he got. "I SUGGEST YOU ALL GET A MOVE ON! THERE ARE NO COUNTDOWNS IN A REAL BATTLE!" Present Mic announced. "YOU BETTER HURRY BEFORE EXAMINEE 2235 STEALS ALL THE POINTS!" Meanwhile Stitch had unleashed his true form and began to wreck havoc upon any and every robot he saw. Those bots never stood a chance. It was fairly easy to combat against them too once you figured out their weakness. Stitch noticed that the bots were programmed to lock onto the applicants' DNA after scanning them. To test out his theory, he hawk-spat at one of the bots and stood perfectly still. The bot immediately locked onto the DNA in his spit and fired, eliminating itself. Quirks didn't have DNA strands, so the bots couldn't lock onto anything except for the applicants themselves. Stitch high-fived himself before continuing on with the trial. He fought hard, smart, and swift. He earned 77 points and he was having so much fun! "TWO MINUTES!" Present Mic announced. And then the ground started to shake, causing everyone to fumble and try to find their footing. Looking to where the shaking had came from, he saw the Zero Pointer. He wondered how fast he could take it apart. Without hesitation, Stitch curled into a ball and speedily rolled away in the direction of the Zero Pointer. It was in Battle Center B. He wondered what made the Zero Pointer tick. He wondered if UA would let him take apart their robot and construct it into something else. Stitch wondered about lots of things. As he got closer, he noticed the other applicants were running away and screaming for help. He didn't have to see to know that they weren't equip for the hero life.

"DEKU!" Stitch skidded to a stop and uncurled from his ball. Who said that? Why were they calling Izuku that? Where was Izuku? Was Izuku alright? Who was responsible for this?!

"STITCH!" His head snapped up and he gasped. There, falling from the sky with three broken limbs, was Izuku. What happened? Why was Izuku broken? Was there any way to fix him? Stitch honestly didn't know and he found himself frozen in place. There were too variables. For the second time in his life, he didn't know what to. But luckily he didn't have to. A resonating slap snapped Stitch out of his daydream. Izuku was now floating inches off the ground, thanks to the girl stuck under the rubble. Getting back into gear, Stitch pushed the rubble off the girl with ease and helped her up. The girl smiled at Stitch and Izuku, grateful for their help.

"Thank you both." She said to him and Izuku. She then pressed her fingertips together and sighed. "Release." Izuku fell to the ground while the girl puked up rainbows.

"Zuku ok?" Stitch asked worriedly, kneeling down next to his friend. Izuku ignored the question.

"Just one point..." Izuku grunted out as he tried to crawl. But then the buzzer rung throughout the makeshift battlefield and time was up. Izuku groaned and proceeded to pass out.

"ZUKU!" Stitch shook Izuku with all his might, trying to wake up the boy. "No sleep. No sleep." Stitch pleaded. He was scared. This was the second time Izuku had collapsed like this in front of him. Izuku looked so broken and he didn't like it. "No sleep!"

"Now, now." A shrill woman's voice said. It was Recovery Girl. The old woman was walking towards them after handing everyone else some gummies, a patient smile on her face and her syringe-shaped cane in her grip. "Is this your friend?" Recovery Girl asked, gesturing to Izuku with her cane. Stitch nodded frantically. "Don't you worry, sweetie, I'll make sure your friend is as good as new." She promised, smiling at the little blue creature. "Here." She said, handing him some gummy vitamins. "Have some gummies." Meanwhile the judges were discussing what has just happened and what they should do. Aizawa Shouta, aka Eraserhead, was more focused on Izuku and Stitch. Watching as Recovery Girl and the medical bots guided them and some of the other applicants away to the medical wing.

"Aizawa." The Underground Hero turned to Nezu and hummed in acknowledgement. "Whenever you get the chance, please notify me of Stitch and his wellbeing."

"Examinee 2235?" Shouta inquired. Nezu nodded curtly. 'Wellbeing?' Shouta thought. He wondered what that meant or if it really meant anything at all. "I see that you have made your choice." There was an unmistakable gleam in Nezu's eyes. It was there for a second before it disappeared. The hybrid was up to something, but not his usual tricks or games as it would seem. This was serious. "Business?" Shouta asked, a twinge of curiosity in his voice as he quirked an eyebrow. Nezu shook his head and turned to look back at the monitors. Staring at Stitch with this strange look in his eyes. Nezu hummed and lifted his paw to his right eye, tracing over the gnarly scar.

"Personal."


	4. Another Rollercoaster Ride

Ever since the Entrance Exams, Stitch had been more protective and clingier than usual. Not just for Izuku, but for Inko too. Every time Izuku tried to talk to him about the situation, Stitch would quickly scurry away and busy himself with another task. It was concerning. And it had to stop.

"Mom?" Izuku called out as he entered the kitchen, where Inko was currently teaching Stitch how to make fluffy cheesecake in the rice cooker. Inko and Stitch quickly turned their attention to Izuku. "Can I talk to Stitch? Alone?" He requested. Inko and Stitch glanced at one another. "Please?" Inko smiled and agreed wordlessly, giving her boys a kiss on the forehead as she exited the kitchen. Izuku waited until she was out of earshot. Izuku wrung his wrists as he tried to figure out the exact words to say. This made Stitch worry.

"Wrong?" Stitch asked quietly, pointing to himself. Izuku sighed and shook his head. "What is it?"

"We have to talk about what happened after the Practical Exam." Izuku said, getting straight to the point. Stitch blinked slowly and stared. Izuku gulped nervously, but stood his ground at stared back. And stared. And stared before Stitch finally made his move: he hawk-spat at Izuku. Izuku kept his mouth close and frantically wiped his face while Stitch scurried away. He was going to hide under the couch. Again. He almost made it too, but was caught by surprise when Izuku picked him up by his armpits. Stitch struggled and kicked, but Izuku held him at arms length. He hoped Stitch wouldn't spit at him again. "We have to talk about this sooner or later."

"Later!" Stitch yelled as he continued to struggle restlessly. Izuku sighed and switched gears, sitting crisscross applesauce on the floor and then plopping the little blue creature in his lap. He embraced his friend and held him close to his chest. The struggling got worst. But Izuku refused to give up.

"Stitch, what is the matter with you?" Izuku asked. Besides the huffing and puffing, he received silence. "Stitch, you have to tell me what's wrong."

"NO!" Stitch screamed, startling the boy. Groaning in defeat and frustration, Stitch buried his muzzle in his paws and began to mumble something incoherent under his breath.

"Can you repeat that?"

"You were hurt." Stitch repeated, much louder this time. The guilt was undeniable. To Izuku, it was like receiving a punch in the gut. "You fell and I froze." Stitch sighed heavily and scrubbed his face. Slowly, he withdrew his paws and glared down at them. "Stitch stupidhead."

"Hey! You are not a stupidhead." Izuku said, reassuring his friend. Stitch peered over his shoulder and quirked an eyebrow. "I'm the stupidhead." Izuku said. "Yeah. I'm the stupidhead..." He recalled waking up in the nurse's office. Stitch was sleeping soundly on his chest while clutching onto his tracksuit for dear life. He had given the poor little guy quite the scare. Recovery Girl said that Stitch wouldn't stop crying and had refused to leave his side. He was afraid that he would be alone forever. Izuku understood what she meant. Stitch wasn't afraid of Izuku getting hurt. Stitch was afraid of Izuku dying or abandoning him. "No matter what happens, you and me will always be the best of friends. I'll protect and love you forever. And we'll be heroes together." Big fat crocodile tears fell and soaked into his fur, leaving messy tear tracks. Izuku coo'd and embraced Stitch lovingly. Stitch sobbed and wailed, crying his little heart out. Occasionally screaming words in either English, Japanese, or Hawaiian. All apologies. "You have nothing to apologize for." Izuku assured him. "I'm the one who should be apologizing." He said as he pulled Stitch closer. "I am so sorry that I worried you like that, I really am. I never meant to hurt you." There was more encouraging words, reassurance, and shushing before Stitch finally calmed down. Having let everything out. "Better?" Stitch sniffled and nodded meekly. Leaning against Izuku for more comfort and warmth. "Good." Izuku said softly, wiping away his own tears. He was trying not to be emotional, but it couldn't be helped. At least things were better now.

"Boys." The two boys gave their attention to Inko, who gave them a watery smile. Even though she left to give them their privacy, she had came back to deliver some news and happened to see everything that transpired. "I, uh, I have something for you." She said as she presented an envelope. The envelope was a crisp white and the waxy stamp was crimson. "From UA."

"Open together." Stitch suggested. Izuku couldn't find it in himself to say no. Inko quickly joined her boys on the floor, all-the-while mumbling to herself. She was no doubt excited and nervous. Each of them grabbed a corner of the envelop before pulling as hard as they could until it ripped open. A disk fell and rolled onto the floor, startling the trio for a moment. The disk then whirled to life and began to glow, showing a projection.

_"BOOYAH! I am here as a projection now!"_

"Al-All Might?!" They all squeaked, jumping back slightly.

_"I know it has been awhile, but with great power comes with a great amount of paperwork!"_ All Might said jokingly. But then he realized he was going off script and got back on track, clearing his throat and then apologizing. _"The truth is that I didn't come to this city just to fight villains. You're looking at the newest UA High faculty member."_ Once again though, he was getting off track and someone from the sidelines had to tell him to get to the point. It was amusing to see Japan's Number 1 Hero so flustered. _"Midoriya Izuku, even though you passed the written part of the exams, you got zero combat points on the practical."_ Inko gasped and covered her mouth with her hands while Izuku whimpered and blinked rapidly in an attempt to keep himself from crying. He knew he did great on the written test. He and Stitch both did great. They studied hard and quizzed each other as often as possible. But the Practical Exam was a nightmare. It was all he had thought about... _"Luckily there were other factors."_ All Might said, grabbing their attention. _"As you already know, hero work isn't just about fighting evildoers. The Practical Exam wasn't_ just _about fighting and strategizing, it was also about bravery and your heroinism. When you ran towards the Zero Pointer to save that young girl from getting crushed, you showed bravery. So while you didn't get any combat points, you received what we call rescue points. And that was enough."_ All Might explained, wrapping it up by displaying Izuku's results.

**Examinee No. 2234: Midoriya Izuku**   
**Combat Points: 0**   
**Rescue Points: 60**   
**Total Points: 60**

_"Stitch,"_ Stitch instantly perked up. _"I must admit that I was surprised to know that you had aced the Written Exam."_ All Might said, which caused the little guy to get all bashful. Izuku chuckled. _"During the Practical Exam, the judges were impressed that you had found a flaw in their robotic design and even used it to your advantage. You and another applicant actually tied in combat points, but you beat him when it came to rescue points when you pulled that young girl out of the rubble."_ All Might stated, finishing his speech by displaying Stitch's results.

**Examinee No. 2235: Stitch**   
**Combat Points: 77**   
**Rescue Points: 60**   
**Total Points: 137**

_"Young Midoriya and Stitch, welcome to the Hero Course."_ All Might said. There was pride in his voice, which warmed the boys to the core. _"This is your hero academia!"_ Those words had hit harder than a semitruck and the family of three found themselves crying. Not only that, but they were laughing and dancing. Things were finally looking up for Izuku and Stitch.

April **[First day of school]**  
UA High **[Class 1-A]**

The door to the classroom was enormous, no doubt for students with gigantification Quirks. Behind that very door was their future. Izuku wondered what their classmates would be like. Stitch wondered what their teacher would be like. Izuku was concerned for Stitch and Stitch was concerned for Izuku.

What if the faculty members mistake Stitch for some kind of savage beast and call the police?

What if the judges find out about the origin of Izuku _and_ his Quirk?

What if the judges decide to recant their votes and kick the both of them out?

Every _what if_ made then queasy and fear for the worst. But... Izuku slowly opened the door and was greeted by the sight of their new classmates. They were heroes-in-training now. And that meant it was time to get serious.

"Finally." Izuku shuddered and slowly turned around, his gaze drifting downward until he locked eyes with a disheveled man in a bright yellow sleeping bag. Stitch thought it resembled a cocoon. "I was wondering when you'd go in. You're wasting my time. And time is precious." The man said, scolding the teenager as he crawled out of the sleeping bag. "Greetings. My name is Aizawa Shouta. Your homeroom teacher." The man said, introducing himself in a bland but sharp tone. "Now then..." He trailed off as he took out a tiny gym uniform from his sleeping bag, presenting it to his new class. "Everyone grab one of these and head outside." He instructed before tossing the tiny uniform to Stitch. The little blue creature sniffed and inspected the uniform closely before churring in satisfaction. It was safe.

"Sir, I have a question?" Stitch turned his attention away from his new uniform and found himself staring at the blue-haired boy from the Entrance Exam. Stitch growled while Izuku grimaced.

"Make it quick." Shouta said, ignoring the hostile behavior.

"Are you really going to stand by and allow that beast to be running loose on campus?" The blue-haired boy asked, narrowing his eyes at Stitch and Izuku. Izuku flinched while the growling increased in volume. "We're not even sure what it is-"

"But _he_ managed to get a higher score during the exams than you and your classmates." Shouta said, cocking an unimpressed eyebrow. "If he can comprehend basic human understanding such as communication then I think he deserves a chance to be in my class." He said, staring at the duo from the corner of his eye. "Now get a move on. We're wasting time." One by one, everyone grabbed a gym uniform and went their separate ways. Once they were dressed the students headed to the training grounds, where they met up with Shouta.

"Aizawa-sensei, shouldn't we be at the ceremony with the other freshmen?" Ochaco asked, curious and confused.

"We don't have time for that. Your training starts now." Shouta told his unofficial students. "You have three years to shape up or ship out. This is the Heroics Department of UA High, not a playground. If I feel as though that you are wasting my time, trust and believe, you will not come back." He warned them. "You all will be conducting a Quirk Apprehension Test, which consists of eight trials that you will have to complete. Whoever comes in last will immediately be expelled."

"Hold on just a minute!" Ochaco spoke up, turning the focus to her. "This is only our first day and we just got here, you can't just turn us away because you think we're wasting your time. That isn't fair." She lectured the man. Stitch was impressed by her boldness, but he also wanted to scold her for not seeing the big picture and being so naïve. Luckily he didn't have to.

"Fair?" Shouta repeated. "And natural disasters are? Or power-hungry villains, hm? Or how about catastrophic accidents that wipe out whole cities?" He asked sharply, causing Ochaco and many others to flinch. "No. The world is full of unfairness. It is our job as heroes to try and combat that unfairness. If you want to be Pro Heroes then you have to push yourself to the brink. And for the next three years, UA will throw one trial after another at you with full force and zero hesitation. So go beyond. Plus Ultra style." Shouta grinned at the students and curled his finger, beckoning them. "Show me that it's no mistake that you're here."

 

_The first test was called the 50-Meter Dash, where the students would run for fifty meters as fast as they could while using the Quirks to assist them, given they had the Quirk necessary to perform said task. Stitch and Tenya surprisingly tied for the fastest._

_The second test was called Grip Strength, where the students would grasp a hand-held device that reads the force that was applied. For those that didn't have the required Quirk for this test, they still tried their best and most even got an average score, if not above average. As for Izuku... Izuku barely hit the mark._

_The third test was called Standing Long Jump, where the students would have to jump straight over a large sandbox. While others flew over and many landed near the edge or in the middle, Izuku ended up falling into the sandbox after barely getting far enough._

_The fourth test was called Repeated Side Steps, where the students would have to step from side to side between three white lines as fast as possible. Izuku was so awestruck and barely knew what was happening around him to even move._

_The fifth test was called Ball Throw, where students would have to use their Quirks to throw a baseball as far as possible. Ochaco got a total score of infinity because of her Zero Gravity Quirk. And next up was Stitch..._

 

"Here." Shouta said, handing the small creature another softball. "Go stand in the center and do what you can." Shouta instructed, and Stitch nodded in understanding before doing as told. Stitch glanced down at the softball, rolling it between his paws in deep thought. Mina bit her lip in anticipation. Stitch had done so well in the other four tests and she had faith in him. Izuku was just as jittery, but just like Mina, he had faith in his best friend. Suddenly Stitch pulled his arm back and threw the softball with all his might. The class watched as the ball whizzed by and disappeared from the schoolgrounds. Thankfully though, there was a small tracker in each softball that records every student's score once it hit the ground. Shouta hummed at the score before turning his phone towards the class.

"HOMERUN?!"

"First an infinity and now a homerun?! There's no way we can beat those scores!" Minoru cried.

"You're completely right." Shouta agreed, and the students shouted in surprise at the man's blunt response. "But that doesn't mean you should just give up because the going gets tough. Combat that unfairness, remember?" He reminded the students, almost scolding them. "Midoriya." Shouta called out, tossing the boy a spare softball. "Step up to the plate and do whatever you can." Shouta instructed, and Izuku didn't hesitate to do as told. He felt nervous, which was understandable because everyone was staring at him. But Stitch was cheering him on from the sidelines. Literally. 'Where did those pompoms come from?' The class thought. This actually brought a smile to Izuku's face and made him less of a mess. Taking a deep breath and pouring all his power into his arm, Izuku pulled back and threw the ball with everything he had. Only to wince when the machine announced his score: forty-six meters.

"What happened? I could've sworn I was using my Quirk..."

"I erased it." Shouta spoke up, his long black hair levitating and his black eyes glowing scarlet.

"You erased my-" Izuku cut himself off as he gasped upon seeing the yellow wedged goggles hidden underneath Shouta's scarves. "Those goggles. I know who you are." Izuku said, pointing at the man. "You can look at anyone and cancel out their powers. You're the Erasure Hero: Eraserhead!"

"You don't have control over your powers." Shouta stated. "The judges were careless during the exams and failed to see your flaws. Your own body can't even handle that stockpile Quirk of yours. You're practically a ticking time bomb." He pointed out. "Were you planning on breaking your bones again? Hoping that your little friend will come to help you?" He questioned, glancing over his shoulder to stare at Stitch, who was barely being held back by four different people. 'So he is willing to attack me just to spare his friend. How loyal.' Shouta thought. 'But also selfish.'

"No! That wasn't what I was trying to do!" Izuku yelled in protest. He then yelped in fear as the capture weapon wrapped around him, trapping him and dragging him towards Shouta.

"You and your Quirk are reckless and dangerous. You actually remind me of a well-known hero, who has the same powers as you. And that worries me." Shouta said, frowning at the boy. "Sorry to disappoint you, problem child, but you're not ready for UA and you're certainly not ready to wield your Quirk. So do yourself a favor," The man unwrapped the boy from his bandage prison and tossed him another softball. "take your last throw and then pack up your stuff." Shouta advised. Izuku bit his bottom lip to keep it from wobbling. He had to pull himself together, he couldn't cry. He had to he strong. He had to prove everyone that they were wrong. Prove that Katsuki was wrong. Taking another deep breath to steady himself, Izuku poured all his power into his pointer finger and threw the ball with everything he had. He and Stitch brightened up when they heard his new score: 705.3 meters!

"Aizawa-sensei." Izuku called out, showing the man his broken index finger. "I'm still standing." He pointed out, giving the man a wary smile. "I can still do this."

 

_The sixth test was called Distance Run, where the students would run around the campus until they eventually collapsed. More than half barely made it back to the training grounds._

_The seventh test was called Seated Toe-Touch and was the easiest test compared to the other ones. Although there was a good handful of students who struggled with doing said task._

_The eighth and final test was called Sit-Ups and was another easy test. However, for the inflexible students, it was indeed a struggle._

 

"These are your results. Take a good look." Shouta said as a holographic screen appeared to display the rankings and scores. Izuku was hesitant, but he wanted to know. So he looked. And as soon as he did, his heart dropped. **21st Place**. He was going to be expelled. But despite the need to cry, he found himself searching for Stitch's name and found himself smiling when he finally saw it. **1st Place**. At least one of them could stay. "And I lied. Nobody is going home." Izuku flung back into reality; he blanked out. And yet he knew he was screaming in disbelief. "That was just a logical ruse so you would try your best." Shouta explained, smiling at his official students. Everyone was freaking the fuck out. All except for Momo and Stitch.

"You really thought he was serious?" Momo inquired. "I'm sorry, I thought you all knew his plan from the start. Perhaps I should've said something." She said apologetically. Although she didn't sound all too apologetic. She actually sounded amused. She was laughing. With Stitch.

"You all lolo." Stitch giggled, and Momo seemed to laugh in agreement.

"You guys!" Izuku and Mina whined, which only made Stitch and Momo laugh harder. Shouta watched the interaction and hummed to himself. 'What an interesting class.'

* * *

"ERASER!" Shouta sighed and braced himself upon hearing that all-too-familiar and annoyingly loud voice. He let out a grunt as another body collided with his. Luckily and unfortunately, he was used to this treatment and was able to steady himself. "You're back!" His loud blonde friend cheered with utter glee.

"It _is_ lunchtime." Shouta stated dully. Yamada Hizashi, aka Present Mic, had ignored his statement. Instead he continued to pull the man into the teachers lounge.

"Hey boys!" Kayama Nemuri, aka Midnight, greeted her two friends. "Oh Eraser!" Shouta frowned as she bounced over towards them, an amused and mischievous gleam in her eyes. "A little birdy told me that you have yet to expel your class." Nemuri said in a singsong voice.

"They have potential. I see no need to waste that."

"Your class from last year had potential too, but you expelled them on the first day." Hizashi snickered.

"Incorrect." Shouta scoffed. He didn't understand why they always brought up his former class from last year. They were a bad example. "Their Quirks were indeed impressive, but that was all they cared about. They were self-centered showoffs, who didn't know the meaning of sharing, much less what it meant to be a hero."

"Defensive as always." Nemuri laughed. Shouta huffed and rolled his eyes. "That's not all I heard either." She continued. "Rumor has it that Nezu assigned you to take care of a certain student."

"You shouldn't bother with rumors, you're an adult." Shouta sighed. "If you're so curious then talk to Nezu." He suggested. Nemuri and Hizashi shuddered in fear. Shouta smirked. It was no secret that everyone feared Nezu. He was a ruthless teacher back then. "But if you must know then yes."

"WHO IS IT?!" Nemuri and Hizashi asked loudly, screaming. This startled many of the other staff members, but Shouta remained unfazed and only slightly irritated. He was certain that he was immune to loud volume. They _have_ been friends for fifteen years.

"Knowing you two, as soon as you find out you'll just harass him." Shouta sighed once again. "Like I said, just ask N-"

"Now, now." Nemuri quickly slapped her hand over Hizashi's mouth before he could scream. The trio looked down at their feet and met with beady black eyes. "It would be impolite to keep your friends in the dark." Nezu said to Shouta, smiling at the man. It was his usual mischievous smile. "The rumors are true, although I would appreciate it if you kept rumors about me to a minimum." Nezu requested, climbing up on the nearest desktop.

"Noted."

"I assigned this new student to Aizawa-kun because of his quick thinking under pressure, sheer intellect, and his vast knowledge of my past." Nezu explained. Yes, Shouta was one of the luckily few who knew about Nezu and his past. It made sense that he chose Shouta to teach and supervise his dearest friend.

"So..." Hizashi leaned closer to the principal. "Who is he?"

"His name is Stitch and he is my oldest friend." Nezu answered. His beady eyes then went glossy, but only for a second. "Now then, I must be going. Enjoy your lunch." Nezu said, jumping down from the desk and waving to the three heroes before he walked away. His paws clasped behind his back and his tail calmly cutting through the air.

"Stitch?" Nemuri echoed, tilting her head and crossing her arms in confusion. "That still ain't ringing any bells for me." She said, shrugging.

"OH!" Hizashi cried out, snapping his fingers as a look of realization crossed his features. "The fuzzy little dude hanging with Midoriya!" Hizashi told Nemuri. "Duh!" He laughed wholeheartedly.

"It was so obvious." Shouta said with an eyeroll. "Well, then again, maybe not for you two." Shouta joked.

"HEY!" Nemuri and Hizashi cried out, obviously offended. Shouta scoffed and shook his head in amusement. Despite what people said about their relationship, he wouldn't trade them for the world. Yeah they were polar opposites, but that's what made his life more exciting. It honestly made him wonder about Izuku and Stitch. Their friendship was something he had rarely ever seen before. Maybe he could ask Nezu or Midoriya Inko about it. Right now though, he was on break. "You're so mean." Nemuri and Hizashi whined. Shouta swore they were related somehow. "Don't you love us?"

"Love you?" Shouta repeated. This actually made him chuckle. They were loud, annoying, crazy, touchy-feely, and everything else that Shouta particularly disliked. But he did love them. However he would never tell them that. Watching them suffer was too much fun. "You two lolo."

"SHOUTA!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Translation :**  
>  **Lolo** means **stupid, absent-minded, crazy, moron, imbecile, feeble-minded, or goofy**


	5. Stand Tall, Fight Strong

"Deku!" Izuku winced upon hearing that name and flinched even harder upon realizing who was saying it: Ochaco. Sighing, he reluctantly turned around and saw Ochaco and Tenya coming their way. Izuku told himself to smile. "Hey Deku!" Ochaco greeted cheerfully. Stitch growled and snapped at the girl, his trying to bite her. But Izuku managed to hold him off while Ochaco floated over them. "Did I do something wrong?!"

"Sorry!" Izuku apologized, scratching behind Stitch's ears to get him to calm down. And it worked thankfully. "Stitch is just really protective." Izuku stated, chuckling awkwardly. "He was reacting to that name 'Deku'." He told them. Ochaco and Tenya shared a look of confusion. Izuku sighed again and realized he had to explain or else they wouldn't understand. "When we were little, Kacchan mispronounced my name and accidental called me 'Deku'. But now he calls me 'Deku' on purpose because it means 'Useless'." Izuku explained.

"But it almost sounds like 'Dekiru' and that means 'you can do it'!" Ochaco said as she fist-pumped. She looked silly, floating in the air like that and that made Stitch relax more. "Is that ok?" Ochaco asked, her happy demeanor turning almost shy as she twiddled her thumbs. Stitch hummed in deep thought before nodding.

"Deku it is!" Stitch declared. Ochaco cheered in victory before releasing her Quirk. She began to dance around and cheering the newly claimed nickname. But then she stopped upon remembering something.

"Also," Stitch and Izuku perked up. "Iida wanted to say something." Ochaco said. Stitch grunted and crossed his arms, his mood turning sour. "Please hear him out." Ochaco pleaded, her bottom lip jutting out as she whipped out her puppy eyes. Stitch hissed and dragged his paws along his face.

"Fine." Stitch groaned. "What is it?" He asked impatiently. Tenya rubbed the back of his neck, looking awkward and very nervous. He didn't appreciate the rudeness, but he didn't blame Stitch for reacting in such a way. Tenya did start all this. And now he was choosing to finish it.

"I wanted to apologize." Tenya said, surprising the little guy. "I was disrespectful to both of you, during the exams and this afternoon. I not only doubted you, but I distrusted you. But I want to change and be your friend. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me."

"Ke kala aku nei au iā'oe."

"That means 'I forgive you' in Hawaiian." Izuku translated for them. Ochaco's eyes widened and she gasped, stars in her eyes.

"That's so cool! I didn't know you spoke another language!" Ochaco squealed. "I actually forgot you could speak until this afternoon." She admitted sheepishly. "Can you teach us something?" She requested. Stitch thought for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"Aloha." Stitch said, deciding to give them an easy and well-known word. "You try." He instructed.

"Aloha." Ochaco and Tenya repeated, their pronunciation on point. Stitch churred softly and clapped his laws, praising his classmates. Ochaco and Tenya puffed up with pride.

"Teach us something else!" Ochaco said eagerly, clapping her hands. She looked like a kid on a sugarhigh. Izuku and Stitch shared a look. It seems they've made some friends.

The next afternoon  
Heroics 101

"I AM HERE! MAKING AN ENTRANCE LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"

"ALL MIGHT?!"

"Hello students!" All Might greeted, saluting the class of young heroes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Translation :**  
>  **Aloha** means **hello, goodbye, love, affection, kindness, or graciousness**  
>  **Magnifique** means **magnificent**
> 
> In Hawaiian culture, they have a ritual to express forgiven. It wasn't included because Stitch wasn't the one asking for forgiveness.


	6. (Too Close For) Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @[keeperofhounds](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keeperofhounds/pseuds/keeperofhounds)—I have to say, I was surprised by your comment because you predicted the relationship established between Stitch and Nezu before I published this chapter. As I said in chapter one, I had changed the background for Stitch to fit the MHA storyline. He is still an experiment, just not an alien. This chapter should give you and the other readers an glimpse into his past. There might not be much, but I hope it will do for now.
> 
>  **Random Thought:** I like to think that Stitch and Nezu having match IQs. Stitch can think faster than a supercomputer and Nezu has a Quirk that grants him superior intelligence.

The second day of school and Stitch had become a regular visitor in the nurse's office. It was oddly familiar. It smelled like rubbing alcohol and those fruity gummy vitamins. His little paws swung back and forth as he sat patiently in the quiet office. He stared intensely at Izuku while he subconsciously played with a softball that he stole from Shouta after their Quirk Apprehension Test. He told himself he would give it back, but he wasn't too sure of himself on that one. Suddenly there was a knock at the door before it opened. But nobody entered. There was only a scent that wafted in the air and seemed to overpower everything else. It was a very familiar scent too: tea leaves. It mixed with the faint smell of cigars, but never tainting the original aroma. 'Curious.' Stitch thought as he exited the nurse's office. But there was no one in the hallway. So he just kept walking. Following the scent that lingered in the air until he found himself standing in front of the principal's office. The door was cracked open. Entering the room, he was greeted by that scent from moments ago: tea leaves and cigars.

"Greetings, old friend." Nezu greeted Stitch. "Come sit down." He ushered eagerly. Stitch hummed and sat beside Nezu, making himself comfortable. "I have prepared some tea. Would you care for a drink?" Nezu offered. Stitch noticed it was his favorite and decided it wouldn't hurt to have some, so he nodded and pocketed his softball. Nezu hummed and poured his friend a cup of rose tea. Stitch took the cup and silently thanked his friend. The steam wafted in his face as he cradled the drink between his paws. This was nice. Like old times. "I reviewed your battle from this afternoon." Nezu spoke. "It was quite an interesting match and I expected nothing less from you. I would love to see a rematch. Although you and I both know how that match would turn out, even with one additional player on the battlefield." He said. 'He changed.' Stitch thought. Nezu was no longer the same weak-willed experiment that Stitch had become acquainted with. No longer soft-spoken or easily frightened. His high-pitched voice was laced with honey. His tone was matter-of-fact and modulated. His posture was straight and his beady black eyes sparkled with happiness but also deep hatred and regret. "And look at you now." Nezu chuckled, bringing Stitch out of his thoughts. "You have grown so much. And you even have an official name. You are no longer Experiment 626. Just as I am no longer Experiment 1."

"Missed you." Stitch confessed, speaking softly. He swallowed thickly to keep his voice from wavering. "Missed you bad."

"I have missed you too." Nezu admitted, his bright grin shifting into a sad smile. "I worried about you." He added. "After I escaped the faculty, I often thought about you. I felt so guilty leaving you behind in that **hellhole** all those years ago. I wished so badly that I was strong enough to save you..." He trailed off. His paw tracing the gnarly scar in deep thought.

"Not your fault." Stitch assured the hybrid. "Did your best."

"I see those pesky scientists never did 'fix' their 'error'." Nezu mumbled. Stitch snorted and shook his head. When creating him, the scientists had miscalculated. Genetic experimentation was **not** easy. Despite being the uncaring and destructive monster that the scientists had always wanted, Stitch still had his flaws. He was able to think for himself and that led him to being self-conscious, merciful, and forgiving. The scientists often discussed behind his back—forgetting his keen hearing—and claimed they wanted to deconstruct him and start over. But they were afraid that they would fail in resurrecting him. That he wouldn't be strong enough. That he wouldn't live long enough. Like all the other 624 experiments... "Stitch." The blue creature perked up at the sound of his name and churred in acknowledgement. "The Midoriya Family. It is to my understanding that Midoriya Izuku adopted you at a young age and Midoriya Inko has taken care of you alongside her son." Nezu stated, earning a nod. "Do they make you happy? Do they make you feel safe?"

"Yes." Stitch answered without hesitation. "My ohana."

"Your family?" Nezu inquired, earning another nod. "Should I trust them?" He asked. Stitch knew not to take this question lightly. Nezu will always have a hard time trusting and opening up to humans. His walls were made of thick concrete and only a select few could enter. Unlike Stitch, who clung to any form of affection or approval out of desperation. Nezu feared being trapped and killed. Nezu feared being betrayed. Nezu feared what he could not understand and everything human. Stitch feared not being good enough. Stitch feared his own insanity. Stitch feared losing everything he had ever earned. They both feared being weak. This was not a simple question. It was a loaded question. And Stitch knew the answer:

"Yes."

"Well then," Nezu chuckled wholeheartedly. "I shall hold your word to it." And then the two friends were enveloped in silence. A comforting silence. They both sat in the quiet office, drinking their tea and letting time roll by. No words needed.

The next afternoon **[Homeroom]**  
Class 1-A

"Decent work on yesterday's combat training, you guys." Shouta complimented his students. His usual monotonous voice made it sound like he wasn't impressed, but Stitch knew the truth. Stitch also knew that it would take some time before his classmates could Speak Eraser, as Present Mic often said. "I reviewed the video feeds and went over each of your results." Shouta stated. "I only have a couple of things to say." The students braced themselves. "Bakugou." Izuku straightened up while Katsuki tensed up. "You're talented. So don't sulk like a child about your loss."

"Yeah, whatever." Katsuki grumbled. And that was all. Stitch tilted his head, curious about the out of character reaction.

"Midoriya." Izuku gulped while Stitch bristled. "I see the only way you won was by messing up your arm again." Something about the way Shouta said that made Izuku feel bad. "Work harder. And don't say 'I have no control over my Quirk' because that line is getting _real_ old. You can't keep breaking your body while training here. But your Quirk could be really useful if you can get a handle on it." Izuku raised his head and stared at the man with wide eyes. "So show a little urgency, huh?"

"Right!"

"And Stitch." Izuku frowned in worry. "I see you raced onto the battlefield to help Midoriya. All Might said it was probably to protect him from Bakugou." Stitch narrowed his eyes at the man. "You have to learn to let go." For some reason those had hit harder than ever before. "Midoriya has to learn. And you won't always be there for him." Shouta said. It was like he was foreshadowing something. And Stitch didn't like it. His words were too ominous. "Also," Stitch hummed in curiosity. There was more? "I was impressed. You used the items in your hideout to your advantage. Not only that, but you held your own against your entire class. You fought smart."

"But sir, how _did_ he make those traps? He was only given scraps." Already prepared for this, Shouta pulled out his phone and created a holographic screen with the push of a button. A video began to play. Stitch was on the fifth floor, scourging through the scraps. Picking up some loose wires and rope, he tied them and his capture tape together to create a large net. He then ripped off a particular tile and tinkered with the wiring inside. Unlike all the other buildings within Ground Beta, the doors in Hideout E opened and closed whenever a certain amount of pressure was applied to the tiles on the floor. After he was satisfied, he replaced the tile and then scurried away. Scrounging through the scraps until he found a working tape recorder. Stitch pressed the tape recorder against his chest, recording his heartbeat until the tape stopped. Then he was searching the room once again until he found an empty barrel. He disappeared again, but then came back moments later with rubbing alcohol and bleach. Items that he found on the third floor, Shouta stated. Stitch poured the rubbing alcohol and bleach into the barrel before hiding the barrel in the airducts, the scent of the chloroform travelling throughout the room. After that, he set the tape recorder on repeat before he quickly exited the room with his net and bomb. Closing the door behind him. Stitch made a few pit stops. Tinkering with the lights on the second floor and planting his net trap. Digging multiple pitch traps on the third floor. Making slingshots traps using the hidden cameras, rubber bands, plastic, and marbles. The class also watched, dumbfounded and almost ashamed, as Stitch hid the bomb in the basement. And then the match started. Shouta let the video continue. Team B had entered the building. Ochaco talked to Tenya until the frequencies from the cameras caused their intercoms to malfunction. Then the lights started going haywire until the hallway was completely dark. That was when the net fell onto the teenagers before pulling back up, dangling the young heroes in the air. Except for Toru, who managed to escape. All a part of the plan, Shouta told them. The class realized that Toru was supposed to escape. So she would get frazzled in an attempt to warn her comrades. Toru encountered all the traps and barely escaped every time before she finally found her classmates. Her childish stomping did in fact activate the trap, locking them in the room. And while they were trying to break down the doors, they failed to notice that they were breathing in the chloroform the entire time until Tsuyu pointed out the faint smell. One by one, they all fell victim to the chloroform except for Shouto, who managed to break down the metal doors before he too fell unconscious. After Stitch was announced the winner, the blue creature appeared and properly disposed of the chloroform before the medical bots appeared. The video ended and the holographic screen disappeared.

"Jirou." The purple-haired girl perked up. "I believe you're still confused." Shouta pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"I couldn't hear his heartbeat." Kyoka said, her brows furrowed in confusion and frustration. "My hearing is above average compared to everyone else's thanks to my Quirk. But I still couldn't hear his heartbeat even after I found and destroyed the decoy." She explained. "So," She turned to Stitch. "I want to know why I couldn't properly pinpoint your location."

"Slowed down." Stitch told the girl, pointing to his chest. But nobody understood what he was trying to say. Except...

"I see!" Izuku beamed, a wide smile stretching across his lips. "You slowed down your heartbeat until it was too inaudible for Jirou to pick up." Izuku explained. "That is so amazing! I didn't know you knew how to do that." Stitch giggled at the praise and buried his face in his paws. Mina, Toru, and Ochaco coo'd at the display. Kyoka hummed to herself and smiled, impressed.

"Alright, alright, settle down everyone. We've wasted enough time." Shouta said as he clapped his hands together. "This is important and I won't repeat myself." He said. The class gulped and prayed he wasn't giving them another Quirk test. "You need to pick a class representative." He told his class, who sighed in relief. "Now in a normal classroom, this would mean extra work. But in the Heroics Department, this is actually a way to get noticed by Pro Agencies and prove that you can lead a team like an actual Pro Hero." He explained. Of course this cause an uprising. Nothing that he didn't already expect. But he was tired and decided to take a nap instead. Plus Tenya already had a plan, so there was no need to sweat things. In the end Izuku and Momo both received three votes. Izuku became class representative and Momo became deputy class representative. And then the bell rung. Lunchtime. Shouta peeked from his position on the floor, watching as his students packed their things and exited the classroom. His eyes locked on Stitch and Izuku, watch them leave with Ochaco and Tenya. Sighing, he closed his eyes with the intention of going back to sleep. But then Present Mic made an appearance and, strangely, carried him out the room without a word. This was serious. Meanwhile, with Stitch and Izuku, the two chatted with their new friends.

"The cafeteria is always crowded." Ochaco remarked. Not really complaining, but rather stating facts.

"That's because the Heroics Department, Support Department, and Business Department all share the same lunch." Tenya stated. Stitch wondered why the students in General Studies at by themselves. Ochaco nodded at Tenya's statement and returned her attention to her meal, stuffing her face with white rice.

"This rice tastes delicious." Ochaco said in a singsong voice, dancing happily in her seat. Bits of the sticky rice sticking to the corner of her lips. "Lunch-Rush was right. White rice _is_ the perfect comfort food." Stitch hummed and told himself to try the rice next time.

"Guys," Izuku sighed. Staring at his katsudon with a nervous expression. "I don't think I'm cut out to be class rep..."

"No." Stitch said in agreement, all-the-while digging into his unadon with such casual grace. 'So blunt!' Ochaco and Tenya thought. But Izuku was unfazed by this comment and asked for an explanation. "You smart." Stitch assured his best friend, pointing his bamboo spoon at the boy. "But flustered and not assertive." Stitch added, shaking his head. "Need confidence before you lead."

"Is that why you voted from Yaoyorozu?" Izuku asked. Ochaco wondered why he wasn't upset at first, but realized that Stitch wasn't trying to offend him. Stitch was helping.

"Yes." Stitch answered. "She smart too. Determined and has clear head."

"A wise choice." Izuku said, smiling at his friend. And Stitch smiled back.

"Give yourself some credit, Midoriya." Tenya said. "Your courage and quick thinking under stress will make you a great leader. Not to mention your strength you've demonstrated. And even if you're not ready now then I'm sure you'll be ready soon." He told his friend. "That's why I voted for you."

"Wait, you did?!" Izuku asked. He was shocked that Tenya voted for him. Izuku thought for sure that Tenya would vote for himself, since he wanted to be the class representative. And if Izuku was being honest, besides Momo, Tenya was best suited for the job. He cared about school and was a dedicated learner. He was dedicated in general!

"Didn't you want to be rep really badly?" Ochaco pointed out. "I mean, you do look the part. With your glasses and all." Izuku sweatdropped while Stitch snickered. But Tenya merely brushed off the silly comment, sipping his drink.

"Wanting a job and being qualified for a job are two different things." Tenya said. Stitch agreed with this. "Observing the Iida Family agency has taught me that much." He added. Although, once he realize what he had said, he almost immediately regretted.

"Iida Family agency?"

"Iida..." Ochaco gasped dramatically. "Are you a rich kid?" Ochaco asked loudly. Tenya waved his hands about and shushed her. He didn't want anyone else to know his secret and he didn't want to be treated differently either. But Ochaco, Izuku, and Stitch already heard too much. So he might as well tell them the truth. Plus they were friends and friends don't keep friends in the dark. Or at least that's what Tensei taught him.

"Alright." Tenya sighed. "You see, the Iida Family have been Pro Heroes for generations. It runs in our blood." He informed. His friends gasped, which made him feel less worried and more proud of his upbringing. "Are you three familiar with the Turbo Hero: Ingenium?"

"Me and Stitch know all about him!" Izuku replied cheerfully, and Stitch nodded feverishly in agreement. "Ingenium is a super popular pro with 65 sidekicks working alongside him at his Tokyo agency!" Izuku stated, his cheek flushed and his eyes bright.

"Wait..." Ochaco gasped once again in the same dramatic manner as before. "Does that make him your..?"

"Yes." Tenya replied. "Ingenium is in fact my elder brother!" Tenya said proudly. His friends cried out enthusiastically at this revelation, earning an amused chuckle from the blue-haired boy. His new friends were quite the bunch. "Ingenium is an unmatched commander who honors the hero code. As the second oldest Iida son, I strive to be just like him." He admitted. "However," He turned to Izuku. "I think it might be a bit soon for me to be a leader and I believe I have a long way do go before I become one. You saw what the judges were looking for in the Practical Exam and a class representative needs that kind of insight."

"This is actually the first time I've ever seen you smile, Tenya." Ochaco giggled. Tenya titled his head and gave her a puppy-faced look, telling her that he smiled all the time. Ochaco giggled at the expression, which only confused Tenya even more. Izuku smiled to himself. He appreciated the compliment, but if he was being completely honest, he was utterly clueless during the Practical Exam. He was about to tell Tenya the truth, but then he was startled by the alarms.

 _"Warning! Level 3 security breech!"_ A voice on the loudspeakers announced. The disembodied voice was calm and composed. But the students were too panicked to notice. _"All students, please evacuate the building in an orderly fashion!"_

"Breech?" Ochaco echoed worriedly as she and her friends began to follow after their fellow students. "You mean like an infiltration?"

"Come on." Tenya said. "We must evac-" Suddenly the four friends were swept up in a sea of panicked students. being pushed and shoved every-which-way despite being instructed to stay calm. The four friends yelped and screamed helplessly as they were separated, desperately reaching for one another. It was chaotic. It was like a battlefield. People were getting trampled and slammed into the walls or the windows. Some have even opted to use their Quirk in hopes of getting to the exit. And others...

"I can't take it anymore." A student whimpered. A female. Her eyes were wide and filled with tears. She was hyperventilating as she tried to push the other students away from her, trying to catch her breath. But they pushed back. They were stronger. "Get away from me!" She yelled. Her pale blue-gray eyes turned silver and waves of electricity rolled off of her as she raised her hands, palms facing the ceiling. "I SAID GET OFF OF ME!" She hollered, using her Quirk to create a powerful blast that surrounded her and drove the other students back. Most of the students fell backwards, toppling over one another or were forced against the wall. But a couple of them rammed straight into one of the windows, which shattered on impact. Those students were lucky that their fellow classmates helped them in time. All except for one:

"STITCH!" Tenya shouted. He was the closest, so he saw everything. Their eyes locked as Stitch flew out the broken window. His eyes were wide with shock and uncertainty. He didn't know what was going on. Tenya reached out and tried to help his friend, but he was pulled away from the window and shoved back into the sea of madness. Tenya wasn't sure if Stitch had hit the ground or if he was saved. But he was sure of one thing: this had to stop before someone else got hurt.

Later that afternoon  
The nurse's office

"STITCH!" Izuku exclaimed as he busted into the nurse's office, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead and tears prickling his eyes. Recovery Girl shushed him harshly and whacked him in the head with her cane. She scolded the boy for his outburst and said it was unnecessary. She said he needed to learn self-control and he needed to be quiet when entering her workspace. Izuku apologized sheepishly and said he didn't mean to be rude. Recovery Girl merely sighed and said it was alright. While she understood his worrying, she didn't approval of him bursting into her office like a madman. "How is he doing?" Izuku asked nervously, shallowing thickly.

"He just woke up." Recovery Girl told him, pulling back the curtain to the first cot to reveal Stitch. He was sitting up in bed and he looked just fine. Upon seeing his friend, he perked up. His ears springing in the air with such alertness and his eyes wide with glee. But then that joy fizzled out when he saw that his dear friend was crying. Izuku choked out a pitiful sob and launched himself at Stitch, snatching up his friend and pulling the little guy into his arms. Izuku continued to cry as his knees buckled. He held on tight, his big fat crocodile tears soaking Stitch's fur and matting it down.

"I-I-I was so sc-scared!" Izuku confessed. Stitch sighed quietly, his ears pinned back and his eyes fluttering shut as he gripped Izuku's uniform.

"I am here." Stitch said softly, using the catchphrase that often comforted them at times like this. This only caused Izuku to sob harder and curl within himself. He didn't want to let out. He couldn't let go. It had hurt too much. And it still does. "I am here." Stitch repeated. Recovery Girl sighed through her nose as she watched the scene from a safe distance. She couldn't bring herself to say or do anything. 'Let them be.' She told herself. 'The storm will pass.' She thought, watching as the boys began to sway. Singing sweetly.

 _"Aloha 'oe, aloha 'oe."_ Izuku sung, his voice wavering as he tried to choke back the seemingly endless tears. _"E ke onaona noho i ka lipo."_ Toshinori came running in moments later. He was ready to spout out questions, wondering what happened to Stitch and if Izuku was here. He wanted to know if the boys were ok. But Recovery Girl merely raised her cane and wordlessly shushed the man. She then motioned to the scene on the floor and advised him to be quiet. Toshinori sighed in relief, happy that the boys were alright. He was also happy that the boys were taking care of one another. Lord knows they'll need each other.

 _"One fond embrace."_ Stitch mused, his silvery voice ringing throughout the quiet office. The tears gradually stopped falling and Izuku wasn't scared anymore. He had no reason to be anymore. He was safe. _They_ were safe. _"A ho'i a'e au."_

 _"Until we meet again."_ It was in that moment that Toshinori realized something: Izuku and Stitch were both selfish. But their selfishness wasn't selfishness at all. It was caution and fear. Izuku and Stitch feared losing one another. Izuku and Stitch feared losing the very person that brought light into their dark world. Izuku and Stitch feared loneliness. Thus they often forgot that they weren't alone. Not anymore. And they would come to realize that. 'Soon.' Toshinori assured himself as he continued to watch the boys sing to their hearts' content. They sung the chorus over and over until Izuku had fell asleep. The boy slumped over and laid sprawled on the cold floor, holding his dear friend like his life depended on it. Toshinori moved before he could register what he was doing and took the boy in his arms. This feeling felt all-too-familiar. His mind transported him to months ago, under the darkened isolated bridge, where he first met Izuku and Stitch. His daze only lasted for a second before he came back to reality. He laid Izuku on the bed and smiled as the boy sighed in content. Izuku looked less rigid and frail in that very moment.

"Thank you." Stitch said softly. Toshinori turned his focus to the little guy and gave him the same wide smile.

"Thank _you_." Toshinori countered. "We both want the same thing." Toshinori said. Stitch nodded and buried himself deeper in the warm embrace. He felt safest near Izuku.

"Protect." Stitch replied. He sighed through his nose and closed his eyes. "Want to protect."

"Exactly." Toshinori said, reaching out and laying his hand over his scar. "Maybe one day you can tell me 'who'."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how accurate that chloroform scene is, but I thought it was pretty dope. And in case you were wondering, Izuku and Stitch _do_ share a desk. Also, also, you might've noticed the scene back in the principal's office. When Nezu was preparing Stitch a cup of tea. An Easter egg. _"This was nice. Like old times."_ I like to think that even though the scientist were cruel to Nezu, they still gave him a tea set. Perhaps to give him a sense of normality and to brainwash him into trusting them. Telling him that the faculty was his home and he had no reason to leave, as crooked as this thought is.
> 
> I have to admit that I loved writing the end of the chapter. I remember Lilo telling Stitch had when she got scared that she would sing _[Aloha 'Oe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6cYHXcWAN0)_ and everything would be ok. There are more _Lilo & Stitch_ coming your way, so stitck around.
> 
> Also, also, I'm going to educate you guys really quick. _[Aloha 'Oe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1bIxMYPlas)_ was written and sung by Queen Lili'uokalani, the Queen of Haiwaii. The song was an apology and goodbye to her people. It is beautifully sad, but beautiful all the same. I suggest you research Queen Lili'uokalani, like, seriously.
> 
> Lastly! I dropped keeperofhounds' addy because they have other fanfics you might wanna check out. I hope that's ok.


	7. Responsibilities

"Eraserhead." Recovery Girl mused, glancing over her shoulder to face the disheveled man as he entered her office. "Are you here to visit your student?"

"I am." Shouta answered, taking one of the available seats beside the first cot. "I see that the problem child is here as well." Shouta pointed out, gesturing to his other student. Izuku and Stitch were asleep in the cot, laying on top of the covers and abandoning the pillows. Izuku had his arms around his friend and was curled into a tight ball, protecting his dear friend even while dreaming. His curly hair mostly shielded his face, but Shouta could clearly see the dried tear tacks running down his cheeks. "I figured he would be here." Shouta mumbled. Shouta expected nothing less from the problem child. His best friend was practically thrown out a window after all. And despite having new responsibilities as the class representative, he abandoned his duties to be with his friend. 'Selfish.' Shouta thought. 'But gutsy.' He told himself. He understood the bond these two shared as he reflected on the bonds he has with his close friends, who he considers to be his family. If he were in their shoes, sharing the same tatters and tears, he would be selfish too. It also made him wondering what exactly being selfish meant. "How is Stitch doing?" Shouta asked Recovery Girl.

"He took quite the fall, but he came out unscathed and only complained of a small headache." Recovery Girl informed. "He is in the same condition as when you brought him in. Just fine." She added. There was a teasing smile in her voice. He just knew. Shouta hummed and stared at the little blue creature. 'So Nezu was right.' Shouta thought, thinking back to his previous conversation with Nezu. During the Entrance Exam.

 

 

_"Nezu, before I accept him as a student, I have to ask. What is that thing?"_

_"That thing is known as Stitch." Nezu replied simply. There was a hiss at the edge of his tone, showing that he himself was offend by Shouta's poor choice of words. Shouta made note of that. "An experiment and former property of Lifeline Laboratories. He is an old friend of mine." Nezu continued. "Back then he was known as Experiment 626, but now it appears he has taken on a new title." There was a thoughtful expression on his face._

_"Is there anything I should know about your...friend?" Shouta asked rather hesitantly. He was never one to pry about Nezu's past because he knew better than that. Even though they weren't directly talking about that hellhole, it and Stitch intersected. Nezu was quite sensitive when bringing up such a topic. But if Shouta were to really take on Stitch as a student then he needed to know whatever information Nezu was willing to give. Nezu hummed and his eyes closed as he thought of what to say._

_"Stitch is bulletproof, fireproof, and can think faster than a supercomputer. He has night vision and can lift objects 3000 times his own weight. He can secrete a sticky substance from his paws that allow him to adhere to almost any surface. His skeletal system is very flexible. His legs, although short, grant him the ability to jump several feet into the air and he is very agile as well. He can magnify his own vision. He can even become an audio amplifier, radio, and microphone. He possesses an acute sense of smell and hearing and is also dexterously skilled in hand-to-hand combat." Nezu explained. Although his tone was matter-of-fact and almost indifferent, his eyes had shone with pride. "In other words, he is indestructible and highly dangerous."_

_"Dangerous?" Shouta repeated slowly. Nezu fought back a chuckle and instead nodded in response._

_"His only instinct is to kill and destroy anything he touches." Nezu told him, speaking rather casually. Shouta stiffened at this newfound information. "Or at least it was." Shouta did a doubletake and raised an eyebrow at the additional statement. "Stitch had proven to be...defective. He learned to adapt and think for himself." Nezu stated. "I think it is only fair to tell you his weaknesses as well."  He said, moving on. Shouta wasn't complaining. "He is sensitive to lights and high frequencies. Because he can pick up various forms of light and filter them out, things like flashlights or camera flashes cause him great pain. Any weight above 3000 is difficult to elevate or move. His supersensitive hearing can lead to temporary deafness if exposed to sonic blasts." He stopped himself from saying anything further. And that irritated Shouta._

_"You're withholding information from me." Shouta noted, noticing the distant look in Nezu's beady eyes._

_"Aizawa-kun, do you know what aquaphobia is?" Nezu asked. The questioned was unexpected, but not unwelcomed. It was clearly important or else Nezu wouldn't have asked in the first place._

_"The unwarranted and irrational fear of water." Shouta answered._

_"Yes." Nezu said. "It is often confused with hydrophobia, which is a term used to represent the fear of water developed in a later stage of rabies." Shouta frowned. There was a dangerous tone in Nezu's voice. "Despite being an irrational fear, I strongly believe that water is something you should be afraid of. Drowning is such a painful way to die. Imagine your body fighting for every last bit of air, weakly trying to pull yourself out of the great depths as the icy-cold water fills your lungs." Nezu babbled. Hysterical chuckles slipped between his clenched teeth and his beady eyes became glossy. Shouta's frown deepened and he found himself chuffing Nezu upside the head without thinking. Nezu blinked and slowly raised his paws to rest on his head, confused. It was obvious that he hadn't expected Shouta to hit him, but it helped nevertheless and he actually appreciated the gesture. It was another reason as to why he respected Shouta so much and allowed the man into his safe space. "Please forgive me. I lost myself there for a second." Nezu said apologetically. "Aizawa-kun, what I am desperately trying to say is that Stitch has aquaphobia. It stems from his inability to swim or float due to his dense molecular structure." He explained. "I request that you strictly keep him away from large bodies of water during his stay in UA unless he is comfortable." He said kindly. But Shouta knew better. Nezu was not asking Shouta any old favor. This was a demand. An order that stemmed from fear and concern for his dear friend. Nezu wanted to protect his friend and Shouta would do his absolute best._

_"You have my word."_

 

 

"Aizawa-sensei." Shouta returned to reality upon hearing his name and realized that Izuku was now awake. "I didn't think you would come here." Izuku mumbled, words slightly slurred and eyes still tired. "Why _are_ you here?"

"You didn't come to class and I thought you would come here to see Stitch. And I was right." Shouta replied. "Yaoyorozu had to pick the class officers." He stated. Izuku hummed lowly and remained uncharacteristically quiet. "You and Stitch have an unhealthy attachment to one another." Shouta said, watching the boy closely for any sign of a reaction. Perhaps an outburst. Shouta noticed that his mossy green eyes darkened. Flashing with an emotion that he couldn't quite explain before it vanished altogether. "You have a responsibility as the class representative. You should focus on your duties instead of playing the role of mother hen."

"Stitch fell out a window." Izuku said suddenly. "My best friend fell out a window." He repeated, much louder this time. "We might have an 'unhealthy attachment', but only because you and a bunch of other people aren't seeing the bigger picture. You're so focused on what you can 'see' that you don't notice everything else. You don't know our story and you probably never will. So don't lecture me on _friendship_ of all things. If it wasn't for Stitch being indestructible then my best friend could've died. I abandoned my duties because Stitch needed me more. I needed him. I was scared and I'm allowed to be scared." Izuku rambled, lecturing the man. There was an animalistic growl to his voice and his eyes almost appeared sharper. Shouta took note of this; it was unnerving.

"You have a lot of guts talking to your superior like that." Shouta said slowly. "And you're right." Shouta admitted. Izuku sucked in a sharp breath and stared at his teacher in shock. "I might not know your full story and I might not understand, but you can help me. As my students, it is my job to shape you and your classmates into the best heroes that you can be. And I can only do that if you allow me. You and Stitch need to open your world to others." Shouta advised. The feral boy quickly turn meek once again, effectively putting the man at ease. Izuku sniffled pitifully, his eyes prickling with fat tears and his nose turning pink. Shouta sighed and combed a hand through his hair. "I'm letting you off the hook this time, but the next time you decide to flap your gums and show your ass then there _will_ be consequences. Do we have an understanding, problem child?"

"Yessir." Izuku answered, his voice thick with emotion. Nevertheless there was a soft smile on his face. "I have come to a decision." Izuku then said, and the man hummed. "Iida Tenya should be our class representative. He managed to calm everyone down during the false alarm and got us in line. He thought of a plan and he executed it amazingly while under immense pressure. Even I couldn't have done that."

"I'll be sure to tell him the news." Shouta said, agreeing with this decision. Izuku beamed. "Rest for now, problem child. I won't be going easy on you during training." Shouta said as he stood up, shoving his hand deep in his pockets. Izuku sniffled once again and nodded before closing his eyes. That soft smile gracing his features as Stitch snuggled closer to his chest. Feeling as though he was invading on a private moment, Shouta turned to exit the office.

"You've grown soft." Recovery Girl told him as he stepped one foot out of her office, causing him to freeze in the doorway. 'Soft?' Shouta asked himself. He scoffed at the very thought and shook his head before he finally took his leave. 'Yeah right.' Shouta thought with another shake of his head. Aizawa Shouta, the very man that expelled an entire class and possessed a chilling presence, was _not_ growing soft.

The next afternoon  
Class 1-A

"Deku! Stitch!" The two friends spun around and smiled upon seeing Ochaco running over to them, proudly wearing her hero costume. "I'm so happy I found you two." Ochaco beamed. "How are you doing, Astro Buddy?" She then asked Stitch. There was a flash of concern in her eyes.

"Good." Stitch replied, smiling at the bubbly brunette.

"That's awesome." Ochaco said, ruffling his fur fondly. "Oh hey, you two aren't wearing your costumes." She said as she finally noticed both of her friends missing their super suits. Izuku chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Remember, my costume got badly damaged during our fight with Kacchan and Tenya. And Stitch tore his up as he was providing me first aid." Izuku remained the girl. Ochaco's eyes shone with realization and she apologized for forgetting, but he said it was ok and that they were content. Suddenly there was the blow of a whistle, which didn't fail to grabbing everyone's attention.

"Alright everyone, the bus has arrived!" Tenya announced. "Using your student numbers, please form two neat lines so we can board the bus efficiently!" He instructed. Izuku and Ochaco sweatdropped while Stitch merely laughed and clapped his paws in amusement. 'Tenya really is taking this job as new class rep seriously.' Izuku thought. But he didn't regret his decision. Still, they did as instructed, only to find out that the formatting of the bus was wrong. So everyone just pretty much sat wherever they wanted.

"Hey Midoriya-kun," Izuku jolted slightly and looked to his left to see Tsuyu staring back at him. "I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Really? Oh Gosh. I didn't think I was that interesting, Asui." Izuku babbled. He was clearly flustered.

"I told you to call me Tsu." Tsuyu reminded him, causing the green-eyed boy to blush. "That power of yours, isn't it a lot like All Might's?" Tsuyu asked. Izuku freaked out while Stitch stared at the girl with great interest. Stitch liked that she spoke her mind and was observant. But he hoped that she didn't know the truth behind Izuku's Quirk.

"What?! You really think so?" Izuku asked. He was sweating. He didn't know how to response without looking suspicious. "I guess I never thought about th-"

"Hold on there, Tsu." Eijirou jumped into the conversation. "You're forgetting that All Might doesn't hurt himself whenever he uses his Quirk. There is a huge different between him and Midoriya." He explained. And he wasn't exactly wrong. Izuku sighed in relief while Stitch snickered. Looks like they would have to work on their cover story. "Still I bet it's cool having a simple augmenting-type Quirk. You can do a lot of flashy stuff with it." Eijirou spoke. Activating his Quirk, he raised his hardened arm. It looked as sharp as a blade. "My hardening is super strong and can easily take down bad guys in a fight, but it doesn't look all that impressive."

"Not true." Stitch said, disagreeing with the redhead.

"Yeah, we actually think it's pretty awesome." Izuku complimented. "You're definitely Pro Hero material with a Quirk like that."

"You really think so?" Eijirou asked, appreciating the compliment. "Seems like it'd be easier to have something flashy." He said. Nobody had ever really noticed him or his Quirk and it made him happy that somebody thought they were cool.

"Nobody chooses their life." Stitch said wisely. His statement sounded vague, but it was understandable.

"My Quirk has the perfect balance of power and pizzazz." Yuga said, chuckling.

"Yeah, but you're pretty much useless if you have another tummy ache." Mina giggled. Yuga grumbled at the remark.

"If we're talking about impressive Quirks, you gotcha give a shoutout to Todoroki and Bakugou." Eijirou said. The class turned their attention to the two boys in the back. Shouto was sleeping, but Katsuki was awake and decided not to say anything. 'Strange.' Stitch thought.

"Yeah, but Bakugou is always angry. He'll never be that popular if he doesn't get his attitude and ego in check." Tsuyu criticized. Stitch whistled, impressed with how straightforward she was. Katsuki was less impressed and instead broke out in a fit.

"What did you say? I'll kick your ass!" Katsuki yelled, startling pretty much everyone on the bus. That only further proved Tsuyu's point.

"Ya'know we basically just met you, but we can already tell that your personality is flaming crap mixed with garbage." Denki said boldly. Stitch whistled once again, impressed that someone else took a shot at Katsuki. Usually kids were too afraid of the angry blonde to say much of anything about him, so it was refreshing to hear their opinions on the boy. Stitch just hoped Katsuki would go through some character development.

"You're gonna regret the day you applied to this school, you loser! I'll kill you!" Katsuki raged. But the sassy blonde boy merely brushed every insult and threat aside, unaffected. Denki just kept teasing and poking fun at Katsuki, which confused Izuku. He had never seen Katsuki get teased before. And everyone was so cool about it too. He felt as if he was having a mental breakdown.

"Hey." Ochaco suddenly spoke up. "Stitch," The fuzzball gave the anti-gravity girl his full attention. "what kind of Quirk do you have?" She asked the little guy. She had been so busy with not getting expelled that she forgot to asked. And now that she did, everyone was interested as well. The students that were in their own world had tuned in to hear and Shouto had coincidently woke up to gather information. Even Izuku was on the edge of his seat.

"Yeah!." Mina realized. "Is it something like super strength? Or super speed? Or is it an intellectual Quirk?" She questioned, eager to know the truth. Everyone was quiet as they waited to hear what awesome Quirk Stitch had possessed. They had theorizes and they were hoping one of theirs would be right.

"I don't have one." Stitch confessed. Almost everyone on the bus was shocked to hear such information. The only one who knew the truth was Shouta. And it made him feel sick: Unlike with Nezu, the scientists were unable to give Stitch any supernatural powers. It was almost ironic. No matter how many times they tried to fix the issue, his body would reject the Quirks given. It got so bad that Stitch actually started having seizure-like glitches whenever they tried. Nobody could explain why, but it was like they were poisoning him. This anomaly honestly scared. So, not wanting to risk killing one of their best experiments, the scientists agreed to terminating and further testing. Instead they trained him three times as hard until he was perfect. But Stitch didn't mind being Quirkless and it only fueled the fire burning inside him. He was going to be the first Quirkless Pro Hero. That was his goal. "I did this all on my own." Stitch said, puffing up his chest proudly. Compliments and praises were thrown left and right. Nobody had ever heard something like this before. While the students were gushing, Stitch peered over to Izuku and gave him a knowing smile. Izuku felt like crying. This entire time, Stitch had been encouraging him to live out his dream not out of pity, but because Stitch was Quirkless too.

"Hey!" The conversation stopped. "We're here. So stop messing around and get serious."

"Yessir." The class mused as the bus driver began to park. Without another word, the class exited the vehicle and formed into one big group.

"Greetings everyone, I've been waiting for you." The class gasped as a familiar figure dressed in astronaut attire approached and greeted them.

"That's the Space Hero: Thirteen!" Izuku said cheerfully. "A chivalrous hero that is best known for recusing people from all around the world."

"Thirteen is my favorite hero!" Ochaco gushed. Her permanent blush grew, her pink cheeks turning rosy as she cheered along with Izuku.

"I see I have fans." Thirteen said bashfully. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Thirteen and I use xe/xem/xyr pronouns." Thirteen said. Xyr tone was a mixture of happiness, pride, and confidence. "I hope to get to know you. Now then," Thirteen clapped xyr hands together. "come inside. I have so much to show you." Thirteen ushered. Moving briskly. The students followed close behind, feeding off of xyr eagerness. Upon entering the dome, they gasped and marveled at the sight before them. "A shipwreck, a landslide, a fire, a windstorm, etcetera. I created this training faculty to prepare you to deal with different types of disasters." Thirteen spoke as xe opened xyr arms to bask in xyr creation. "I call it the Unforeseen Stimulation Joint! But you can call it the USJ for short." The class blanked out at the title. 'Just like Universal Studios Japan.' They all thought.

"Hey, shouldn't All Might be here already?" Shouta asked Thirteen. "Let me guess, he booked an interview instead." Izuku perked up and noticed that Toshinori was in fact missing. Stitch frowned to himself knowingly.

"Actually it's something else." Thirteen said. "Apparently he used up all his power this morning and is resting the teachers lounge." Thirteen informed, all-the-while holding up three fingers. But xe did it as discreetly as possible. Izuku, Stitch, and Shouta knew what xe meant.

"Of course." Shouta sighed. "That man is the height of irresponsibility." He shrugged it off though and told himself that everything would be fine despite them missing one person. "Clock is ticking. We should get a move on."

"Right." Thirteen agreed. "I actually have one more thing to say." Xe added. "Actually...two more things. Or maybe three. Possibly four. Oh! Five!"

"Thirteen." Shouta sighed once again. "You're spiraling."

"R-right." Thirteen murmured in embarrassment. Clearing xyr throat, xe steadied xemself and got back on track. "Listen carefully. As most of you probably know, I have a powerful Quirk known as Blackhole. This allows me to suck up anything in my path and turn it into dust."

"Yeah. You've used Blackhole to save people a dozen times."

"That's true. But my Quirk could also very easily be used to kill." Thirteen stated in a grave tone. The class gasped and the mood dampened. "Some of you also have powers that can be dangerous." Most of the class glanced over to Katsuki and Shouto while others took notice of Izuku. Shouta noticed this as well. "In our superhuman society, all Quirks are certified and regulated, so we often overlook how unsafe they can actually be. Please don't forget that if you lose focus or make that wrong move, your powers can be deadly. Even if you're trying to do something virtuous like rescue someone." Izuku thought back to when Mount Lady made her first appearance, when she used Canyon Cannon. The way she took down that villain was reckless and could've done more harm than good. "Thanks to Aizawa's fitness test, you have a solid idea of your Quirk's potential. And because of All Might's combat training, you likely have experience on how dangerous your powers can be when used against other people. Carry those lessons over to this class. Today you're going to learn how to use your Quirks to save people's lives. You won't be using your powers to attack enemies or each other, but instead you will be using them to help. After all, that _is_ what being a hero is all about. Insuring the safety of others." Izuku smiled to himself. 'Thirteen is so cool.' He thought. "That is all I have to say. Thank you so much for listening." Thirteen said as xe took a bow. The class cheered for Thirteen, reflecting on xyr speech and telling themselves that they were going to do their very best.

"Nicely done." Shouta complimented. He knew for a fact that Thirteen was smiling at him. Suddenly the lights began to flicker and spark, alerting the students that something wasn't quite right. Stitch gasped breathlessly as his fur began to bristle. He felt unsafe. 'DANGER!' A voice screeched in his head. Red flags and alarm bells pointed to the fountain, telling him to stay away and stay alive. Izuku took notice of this strange behavior and he asked his friend what was wrong. The water fountain then started going on the fritz as a dark and ominous portal started to open. An awful and overpowering scent flooded the faculty...

"Death..." Stitch gasped as he stumbled backwards. "Zawa!" Stitch called out, rushing over to his teacher and tugging vigorously on the man's pant leg. "Danger!" He warned. The students murmured to themselves. They were confused and understandable so. Was this another test? Was Stitch going along to some script? Shouta spun around and his eyes went wide. The portal expanded and villains poured out. The students inched closer to the stairs, wondering why battle bots were entering the dome. How foolish they were.

"Stay together and don't move." Shouta demanded, holding his arm up to block his students from coming any further. "Thirteen." Thirteen glanced over to xyr coworker and waited for further instructions. "Stitch." Stitch paused and waited anxiously. "Protect everyone while I handle this." Shouta told them. Thirteen and Stitch stared at the man in surprise. Was he really planning to fight those villains? Unfortunately the students still didn't get the message and continued to advance. Ready to fight. "Stay back!" Shouta ordered. His tone was harsh and demanded obedience. His students flinched and did as told. Despite it only being the third day of school, they had never seen their teacher so worked up. "This is _real_. Those are _real_ villains." Shouta stated, his capture weapon levitating and making him appear threatening. The villains just kept coming.

"Aizawa, you aren't serious..." Thirteen spoke. "You need backup to take down those villains."

"I need to protect my students." Shouta retorted. "I need _you_ to protect them." He said to Thirteen and Stitch. The rescue hero and blue creature looked back at one another. They were partners now and they were given a mission. An important mission: protect.

"Ok." Thirteen and Stitch said, understanding what they had to do. They quickly got into formation and stood protectively in front of Class 1-A. 'Protect.' Thirteen clenched xyr fists. 'Protect.' Stitch shifted into his true form. 'Protect.' Shouta put on his goggles. 'Protect!'

"Aizawa-sensei!" Izuku called out to the Underground Hero. "What are you going to do? It's just like Thirteen said, you can't fight all those villains by yourself! Even if you can nullify all their Quirks, your fighting style isn't suited for the kind of battle you're planning! Your power works best in stealth and one-on-one fights. It's not going to help with a group."

"No hero is a one trick pony." And then he jumped into action. "Go!" Izuku watched with amazement as the man began taking down the huge group of villains with ease. Never letting them touch him, never letting them get too close, and never giving them a chance to use their Quirks. It was like he was dancing or soaring. 'He really is amazing.' Izuku thought.

"Zuku." Izuku turned away from the fight and looked down at his friend. "Come on." Stitch said. Izuku nodded and followed Stitch. They had to leave before the villain catch them. And with no villains in their way...they were home free. Until they weren't. One of the villain had managed to sneak pass Shouta. A troublesome one indeed. That smell... Stitch sped up until he was in front of everyone else and then came to a halt. "Danger!" Stitch warned. Everyone stopped and stayed behind the little guy.

"How clever." An alluringly deep voice spoke as a portal appeared in front of the students and teacher. Stitch bared his teeth, his ears pinning themselves back and his spines springing into the air. He was ready to fight. He was ready to protect. "You sought me out through scent alone. Impressive."

"Disgusting." Stitch growled. The black mist narrowed its golden eyes at the little creature in front of it. In front of _him_.

"A pleasure to meet your acquaintance." The mist said, speaking rather sarcastically. "We are the League of Villains. And we have come with one goal in mind: to kill the Symbol of Peace. This would have been a rather fitting place for him to meet his end. However I see no sign of him, thus our plans have been ruined due to this unfortunate...miscalculation. But no matter. I still have a role to play." The mist said. His words made them anxious. Stitch grew tired and angry. He had to get them out of here.

"Take this!" The sudden yelling caught his attention and he snapped back into reality just in time to see Katsuki and Eijirou trying to attack the black mist. 'Protect everyone.' The words of Shouta were piercing and echoed in his mind like a mantra. It was an order. 'Protect!'

"Kacchan! Eiji!" Stitch cried out as he hurriedly grabbed for the two boys. He thankfully succeeded and tossed them behind him before the boys could comprehend what just happened. Stitch launched himself at the mist and welcomed his fate. Whatever it may be. He was given an order: protect. And he was going to protect them. Still he readied his sharp claws and growled. He might not be able to get a hit on this guy, but he could act as the decoy while the others tried to escape.

"What a foolish little thing you are, thinking you can save them and take me on." The mist said mockingly. "I shall scatter you across this faculty to meet my comrades and your death!" The mist took Stitch by surprise and surrounded the class. Sending almost every last one of them to their doom. Just as he had promised.

"No!" He was warped away last and found himself falling. Falling into water. A makeshift ocean. The shipwreck. His mind went blank at that very moment as the water drew closer and closer. 'Protect!' One voice screamed. It was Shouta. 'Water!' Another cried. It was him. His heart hammered in his chest and tears fell. He was heading straight into his demise. He was going to drown. Strong arms then wrapped around him and pulled him into an embrace as black spots started to cloud his vision. Those arms gave him warmth and reassurance. Cradling him. Shielding him. That was all he could remember before it all went black. _He had passed out from fear._ 'Protect.' Izuku thought. He shut his eyes tight and held on fast as his back hit the surface of the water. The water was icy and surrounded him instantly. Its embrace was suffocating and almost seemed to weight him down. It was life-threatening. Izuku's eyes fluttered open and he observed his surroundings as the foam cleared. There weren't any villains in sight. Izuku nodded to himself and decided it was best to get out of the water as fast as possible. He was vulnerable and the villains would find him sure enough if he continued to bob around helpless. And Stitch was absolutely petrified.

"Midoriya!" Izuku froze. That was Tsuyu. 'Thank God.' Izuku thought with great relief. "I gotcha, ribbit." Tsuyu said triumphantly as she wrapped her long tongue around the boys and swam away. They came upon the ship, where Tsuyu gently laid Izuku and Stitch on the deck. Minoru was not given the same treatment. "I'm glad I caught you. You almost became fish food back there." Tsuyu told him as she climbed along the side of the boat, avoiding the grabbing hands of the villains below. "You should pay more attention to your surroundings." She advised. Izuku nodded curtly. He was thankful that she got to him first. "What happened to Stitch? He doesn't look too good." Tsuyu pointed to Stitch and tilted her head in bemusement.

"Stitch passed out." Izuku told her. He chose not to tell her why because it was _not_ his place to say. But Minoru wasn't satisfied with this half-ass answer.

"Seriously?" Minoru inquired. "Our strongest classmate just up and...clocked out? For no reason?" He asked skeptically.

"Not for no reason." Izuku said defensively. "Look, we can worry about him later. Now we have to figure out how to escape." That was their priority as of right now: escaping. 'Protect!' A voice in his head screamed. It was Shouta. 'Protect!' A different voice cried out. It was Stitch. 'Protect!' The last one shouted. It was his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Headcanon: Thirteen uses xe/xem/xyr pronouns.** I was so psyched when Thirteen was first introduced to the series and I created a ton of headcanons, including this one. Before I found out that Thirteen used they/them pronouns, I turned to Google and Tumblr for assistance in hopes of finding the perfect pronoun to address Thirteen by. I found what I was looking for pretty quickly and I've been using it for Thirteen ever seen. I figured it was easier to understand and it just seemed to fit.
> 
>  **Fun Fact:** At first I was going to pair Stitch with Shouto and Toru or have him fight with Shouta, but I changed my mind. I wanted Stitch to be in the Shipwreck Zone because this is going to help him overcome his fear. This is good for him. Yes, it seems like torture, but he needs this. He needs to be near water. And as the story progresses, you will agree that this is for his own good.


End file.
